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February 2, 2010

Tennessee Firm Exposed Black Workers to More Radiation than Whites
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In Tennessee, a nuclear waste processing company has settled a lawsuit
accusing it of exposing African American workers to higher radiation
levels than white colleagues. The company is ironically called RACE,
which stands for Radiological Assistance, Consulting and Engineering.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought the suit against
RACE. In addition to the excessive radiation exposure, the lawsuit says
the company’s white managers assigned African American workers to work
near radioactive waste while cordoning off white workers in a separate
area. The managers also allegedly manipulated dosimeters that measure
radiation exposure to hide their actions. One African American worker
was suspended and then fired after complaining his superior had used the
N-word and other racist slurs. Twenty-three African American employees
will receive a combined $650,000 under the settlement.



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