Occupational Diseases: Whistleblowers Win Award

Ten legislative branch steamfitters who made extreme asbestos contamination and other hazards public have been awarded the Joe A. Callaway Award for Civic Courage. The steamfitters are represented by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and the law firm of Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, in their whistleblower complaint against their employer, the Architect of the Capitol (AoC) for harassment and retaliation after having made their safety concerns public.

Congressional Tunnel Workers to Receive Civic Courage Honor

The Callaway Award serves to recognize courageous people who take a public position to advance truth and justice. GAP Senior Counsel Joane Royce, a lawyer for the workers, said of the award: “The tunnel crew works under extremely hazardous conditions. They have risked their jobs to report these conditions to Congress and the public, and they certainly deserve the recognition they are getting through receipt of the Callaway award.” The tunnel workers faced dangerous work conditions for years, facing falling concrete, temperatures in excess of 130 degrees, and exposure to asbestos and other toxins. The crew initially notified the AoC, who did not adequately change work conditions, despite repeated citations.