McHenry County has filed a complaint with the state in an effort to move a protracted dispute with one of its unions toward arbitration and settlement.

The county on Monday filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the Illinois Labor Relations Board against the Service Employees International Union Local 73 unit, which represents county Animal Control. The complaint accuses the union of not bargaining in good faith over the first contract for 14 nonmanagerial employees. Their union was certified three years ago.

Such complaints carry little weight – the most the labor relations board can do is find the offending party guilty and order it back to the negotiating table in good faith. But before an arbitrator can settle this first contract, both sides have to finalize smaller issues, county Human Resources Director Robert Ivetic said.