Tuesday, September 25, 2007

LIE#1 by Mike Altonberg published in the Valley News 9/25/07

As a matter of introduction I am Mike Altonberg, Business Agent for The Ironworkers in Rochester.

Four or five months ago I was told by UPC Wind Manage­ment that their general contractor for the wind turbine projects in Cohocton & Prattsburg would be hiring all local people to the building of the towers. At a meeting last Tuesday, in Cohocton, we were informed that things have changed and now all the workers will be brought in from out of state. The company Mortenson Construction from Minnesota will bring workers from out west and local construction workers are locked out of all that work. All those wages paid will not be invested in our local economy but instead went out west. This is a slap in the face to all the hard working unemployed construction workers in our area? Now that the project is a go & they're caught in a lie, how many more lies have they told . . . UPC should be escorted to the state line and told not to come back. Your company should be ashamed of what you're doing and ashamed of the lie you've been telling us.

For the record, we intend to make all the residents and politicians in Steuben County aware of the underhanded tactics that you're using to block local people from these jobs. We will be very visible from the start to the finish of these projects and where ever you go we will inform people of your companies true charac­ter!

Mike Altonberg, Business Agent, Ironworkers, Local 33, Rochester, NY 14810 585-330-3109

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