Unions unite against ‘sick building’
By George P. Hassett

     Five unions in the city have come together to support an independent testing of the public safety building at 225 Washington St, in order to learn if the people who work there are in danger. The Municipal Employees Association, Firefighters union, Police Patrolmen‚Äôs Union, Superior Officers Union and the union representing 911 operators will share the costs of the testing.

     About 60 city workers from the five unions are suing the city, hoping to get to the bottom of alleged health problems plaguing employees of the police station. They collectively filed a suit over the summer, claiming they ‚Äúwere subjected to pro-longed exposures, to chronic damp conditions, and the types of molds that produce toxins as well as other hazardous substances present in their workplace environment at 220 Washington Street‚Ķ and have suffered adverse health affects as a result thereof.‚Äù
      More than a dozen police officers have died and several workers have fallen ill. Similarities in the illnesses and symptoms led many of the workers to believe their health problems could be a direct result of their working conditions.
      Last month the plaintiffs won a motion to allow independent testing of the building at no cost to the city. The upcoming testing will include a search for air pollution and possible problems stemming from the heating and air conditioning units. According to Thomas Joseph Hogan, of the law office representing the plaintiffs, air pollution tends to be less prominent in colder weather so there is a chance more testing may need to be done in the spring. It also means, whatever discoveries are made are on the low side of what workers are exposed to.
       The important thing is to stop the speculation and start getting some concrete facts about any possible issues inside the building, said Patrolmen‚Äôs Union President Jack Leutcher.
      ‚ÄúWe will get black and white proof from these tests and finally know what is happening. That is why the unions are willing to pay for these tests,‚Äù he said.
       Leutcher would not say how much the testing will cost, only that ‚Äúit is a substantial amount.‚Äù He said he would like to work with the city and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone to get employees out of the building, but if tests come back indicating it is unsafe, he will not be shy about advocating for the men and women of his union.
         ‚ÄúIf we know people should not be in that building we will not tolerate it any longer. I will not shirk my responsibility to the union,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúHopefully, the administration will take the same position, but I‚Äôm not sure if we can trust them to do so.‚Äù