Major Wall Street Journal Expose on Lead Poisoning with Voices from The Association of BellTel Retirees
The investigative series, led by a Pulitzer Prize winning team of journalists, narrate the story of countless communities, and includes interviews with former Bell System workers, about their long-term exposure in working with lead, and the serious health effects that followed.
Among the many spotlighted in the series, were members of the Association of BellTel Retirees, a non-profit which is focused on advocating for the pensions, benefits, health, and safety of those retired from companies including Verizon, AT&T, Frontier and Lumen.
The Wall Street Journal’s series called, “The Legacy of Lead” highlights the serious health issues that were experienced by the workers, both during and after their careers due to their toxic exposure. The articles examine the responsiveness, or lack thereof, of the telecom giants responsible for installation, maintenance, and removal of these cables.
Association of BellTel Retirees Chairman Thomas Steed was among those interviewed in a 23-minute podcast, sharing his own story, and explaining what he believed was a lack of support he felt he faced from his employer, despite Occupational Safety and Health Administration laws. Steed was a linesman for NYNEX, which then became Verizon, and was among the many who worked directly with the lead cabling and soldering for much of his career.
"The removal of these cables that were now porous from being out in the weather for 50 years, hot and cold, snow, rain, sun, that's when they really started deteriorating,” said Chairman Steed during The Journal Podcast. “It was the removal of these lead cables that I feel was the most dangerous part of our jobs because it created dust that we had to breathe."
The Association of BellTel Retirees is a proud advocate for its 130,000 members on occupational health and safety issues. The lead exposure faced by many telecom employees is an issue of ongoing concern for the Association and its membership.
Sabrina Petrafesa
Butler Associates
+1 6462131366
spetrafesa@butlerpr.com
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