Washington, D.C. Tunnel Maintenance Workers File “Whistleblower” Complaint

For over 22 years, Maintenance Supervisor John Thayer worked to maintain five miles of tunnels containing heating and cooling pipes that make the buildings in the U.S. Capitol complex comfortable.

For Mr. Thayer and his staff; however, their work is a different story. They call themselves “tunnel rats,” and work in temperatures that exceed 160 degrees. For decades, they were exposed to dangerous asbestos dust on the walls, floors and pipes in this tunnel system.

All ten workers are sick as a result of their daily exposure to asbestos. Seven of the workers have been diagnosed with asbestosis, a chronic lung disease associated with asbestos exposure. They are at high risk for developing lung cancer, or worse, Mesothelioma, a rare a form of lung cancer that comes from asbestos exposure.

The workers complained about their working conditions for years, and were the subject of repeated retaliation and harassment. In October 2006, they filed a “whistleblower complaint" against their employer, the Architect of the Capitol. In their complaint, they accuse the Architect of the Capitol of "deliberate indifference" in exposing the tunnel workers to unsafe hazards. It makes specific charges about retaliation, alleging that Architect of the Capitol management:

• Confronted workers and demanded to know which had written letters to Congress about unsafe working conditions;
• Publicly disparaged workers as irresponsible "hotheads" who are "difficult," "insubordinate" and not "team players";
• Harassed workers for seeking independent medical testing;
• Denied workers an appropriate level of hazard pay; and
• Considered trying to fire all the workers.

Whether you or a family member has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, you depend on your medical team to provide the best care for your illness. You also need a highly qualified and experienced team of Mesothelioma lawyers. At Weitz & Luxenberg, we can help you file a lawsuit to cover your medical bills, pain and suffering and other expenses.

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