IBM Essex Junction, VT Plant “Honored” With 2004 Dirty Dozen Award

Charging that IBM does not adequately protect their employees, their families and the community at large from dangerous solvents and chemicals used in the manufacturing process, the Alliance @IBM / CWA Local 1701 joined the Toxics Action Center to present the company with a 2004 Dirty Dozen Award. The Alliance@IBM is an alternative union campaign representing IBM employees across the United States, and the Toxics Action Center is a New England-based environmental group. They were joined by a representative of the Vermont Workers’ Center / Jobs with Justice and the Political Director of the Vermont State Labor Council. The Alliance@IBM was represented by Earl Mongeon, an IBM employee and leader of the Vermont chapter of the Alliance@IBM, and Rick White, a long-term Alliance activist who is deeply involved in the struggle against toxic contamination in Endicott, NY, the birthplace of IBM.

Many toxic chemicals are used in the manufacturing of computer chips at IBM’s Essex Junction plant. The givers of the Dirty Dozen Award say that IBM does not provide adequate safety training for employees, nor a full, understandable disclosure of the health risks associated with these chemicals.

“IBM is acting as a bad corporate citizen” said Earl Mongeon. “The so-called ‘clean room,’ where computer chips are made, is clean only for the chips, not for the workers. We all know IBM employees who have gotten sick or have died” Mongeon said. “It’s time IBM takes responsibility for workers’ safety by devoting funding to employee training and providing full disclosure of the health risks from working with these toxic chemicals.” Employees and their families across the nation are involved in lawsuits demanding compensation for health problems, including rare forms of cancer.

In addition, IBM’s Essex Junction plant has permits to discharge a toxic soup of dangerous chemicals and metals into the nearby Winooski River, which flows into Lake Champlain. This pollution places not only the health of workers at the plant at risk, but also threatens the health of nearby residents and anyone whose drinking water comes from Lake Champlain. Nobody understands the health effects of long-term exposure to this mixture, even at low levels.

“The heavy metals IBM is discharging into the environment can cause serious health problems, including cancer” said Lindsey Hodel, Toxics Action’s Community Organizer. “In addition to IBM addressing workers’ concerns, the Department of Environmental Conservation needs to play a role in setting more stringent standards and testing schedules of IBM’s water discharges.”

The 8^th Annual Dirty Dozen Awards spotlight twelve of New England’s top polluters. The sites pose significant threats to public health and the environment and need immediate action by industrial and/or government officials. The Dirty Dozen recipients were selected from a list of nominations by a 15-member panel of environmental and public health officials.

For more information contact:

Ralph J. Montefusco, Alliance@IBM

Cell: 802-598-5613 email:Rmontefu@sover.net

Lindsey Hodel, Toxics Action Center

Phone: 802-223-8422 email:lindsey@toxicsaction.org