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Unions press Shorewood board to reject AR Building project; developer denies anti‑union stance
Summary
Multiple union representatives told the board AR Building historically avoids union contractors and urged denial; AR president Jason Kambitsis said the company has met with union leaders and maintains an open bidding process and said he would talk with any labor group.
Union leaders and building trades representatives used the public comment period to press the Village Board to deny the AR Building proposal, arguing the developer does not employ union labor on nearby projects and that construction by non‑union firms would harm local trades.
Pat Young, business representative for Operating Engineers Local 150, said the developer "refused to talk to us" and urged trustees to vote no. Teamsters and other union speakers threatened organized opposition if non‑union contractors built the project. In response, Jason Kambitsis, AR Development president, disputed the narrative that AR would not engage unions: he said he met with a union representative on May 4 and that "we're happy to talk to anybody about anything" and that AR uses open bidding. Kambitsis added the company builds, manages and retains many of its properties and said he would be willing to engage further with local labor on the project.
