Meriden Man Wins Whistleblower Case Against Metro-North

A Meriden man involved in a whistleblower case against Metro-North railroad has been awarded damages after he was suspended from his job. WNPR’s Harriet Jones reports.

Terry Blocker works for the commuter railroad in New Haven. He was injured on the job after a shuttle wagon he was driving derailed. Metro North blamed Blocker for the accident and disciplined him, but he denied that he had been negligent. Blocker complained to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration about the dispute with his employer. He received a second suspension from his job because of his complaint to OSHA. That’s the action that OSHA has now ruled was an illegal retaliation against Blocker.

He’s been awarded $75,000 and will have his legal fees met by the company. Metro North must also now reform its practices, publicizing workers’ rights to take cases to OSHA without fear of discipline. Commenting on the case, Marthe Kent, OSHA’s regional administrator, talked of a culture of silence created by the fear of reporting dangerous conditions on the job.

For WNPR, I'm Harriet Jones.