American Notes: Harassment

Energy Secretary James Watkins, who oversees the nation's problem-plagued government nuclear facilities, insists that employees who go public with charges of plant-safety problems are free to blow the whistle without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way for Charles ("Bud") Varnadore, a technician at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Varnadore, 50, suffers from colon cancer and underwent 52 weeks of chemotherapy. After he appeared on a CBS news program in March 1991 to talk about a study that showed suspiciously high rates of cancer among workers at the facility, his bosses assigned him to a new office -- a storage closet next to the chemical lab. Later they moved him to other offices crammed with mercury, radioactive materials and asbestos.

Last week the Labor Department upheld Varnadore's claim that the plant managers at Oak Ridge, which is operated for the government by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, had acted in retaliation against Varnadore for his complaints. The company plans to appeal the decision. So does Varnadore, who is also looking for $1.5 million in damages.