J. Leon Altemose, controversial contractor, dead at 68(fought union thugs)

Philadephia Inquirer ^ | 04/15/08

[Kid Shelleen]

-snip- To his fellow "open-shop" builders, Mr. Altemose was a hero, paving the way for non-union contractors to gain ground in a heavily unionized area. To those in the building trades, Altemose represented a threat to union abilities to make sure workers were paid well and had adequate benefits and safety protections.

--snip-- On June 5, 1972, about 1,000 members, many wearing hardhats, swarmed over a construction site in Center Square, Montgomery County, where nonunion Altemose was building the Valley Forge Sheraton Hotel.

The union members "stormed the Valley Forge site, overrunning a fence and destroying $400,000 worth of equipment and materials," according to a Pennsylvania Crime Commission report on the incident.

"The half-dozen or so local and state police were helpless in the face of the mob, and the Altemose security guards fled for their safety," the report said.

Despite the criminal charges that followed and the conviction of at least 11 of the participants, the Altemose siege remains a point of honor for many in the macho world of the building trades.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Union thugs suck. But then, so do scumbag contractors. Men of skill and integrity don’t need them for good jobs.

[hosepipe]

Its no mustake the MAFIA tends to take over Unions.. and spread corruption in a thousand ways.. Both to government and individuals..

[Mannaggia l'America]

These are the same type of thugs that attacked Don Adams when he was protesting against Bill Clinton in Philly.

I remember the attacks on this guy's construction site - I was a kid then and lived in the area. Later on as an adult I did some work for his company (technology) and met him once or twice.

There's a construction site near my office in suburban Philly and I guess they are using non-union labor because every few days, the union goons have a big inflatable rat at the site.

They like to portray themselves as tough guys, but they seem like a bunch of crybabies to me.

[BallyBill]

Man, I remember the days when he was causing all the union headaches. Maybe now we'll find out how he managed to live as long as he did.(or not)

[Kid Shelleen]

>>>These are the same type of thugs that attacked Don Adams <<<

I am familiar with that case. What a disgrace. I once heard Don Adams interviewed and he said he tried to get the ACLU to help him but they refused.

[AlaskaErik]

He saw union thuggery at its ugliest. I have to admire a man like that.

[peeps36]

I wonder how he felt about all the businesses today that have to hire illegals if they want to compete with other companies? A good friend of mine is being forced to hire cheap labor to keep up with the competitors who constantly undercut his bids because all their workers are illegal. This is happening a long ways from the border in a state like CT.

[WorkingClassFilth]

A: Scumbag contractors.

People are forced to do what everyone else is doing if they want to stay up with everyone else. Innovators change and it may end up a long way from where they started. Up here in blue state MN, at least one contractor is doing good business advertising as a crew of ‘good, local boys.’ There is always a niche someplace.