Los Alamos
National Laboratory, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, is facing a crisis of
sorts as a group of workers have sued the Triad National Security LLC, the
contractor that runs the lab for the US Department of Energy over a vaccine
mandate.

Workers face
a Friday deadline — be vaccinated or prepare to be fired. The group says that
exemptions have been unduly denied and their constitutional rights are being
violated.

According
to the lawsuit, the lab management has been harassing employees and has created
a hostile work environment. The complaint outlines the experiences of many of
the workers, including one who was screamed at for not being vaccinated and was
told by a fellow crew member that he and his family deserved to die, the
Associated Press reported.

The lab has
not yet commented on the issue.

The group
of workers that has filed the lawsuit includes scientists, nuclear engineers,
project managers, research technicians, and others who have some of the highest
security clearances in the nation for the work they do. Some of the employees
who are part of the lawsuit have worked for Los Alamos lab for decades, while
others are newer hires who have relocated to New Mexico from other states and
countries.

According
to an estimate, the lab could lose anywhere from 4% to 10% of the workforce
because of the mandate.

“In
any organization there are people, not always recognized, who quietly make the
work of others possible. Lose them, and you are in trouble,” said Greg
Mello of the Los Alamos Study Group, a watchdog group that has been monitoring
lab activities for years, according to AP.

The lab
currently employees nearly 14,000 and is among the largest employers in New
Mexico. It’s also located in a county that is among the most affluent in the US
because of its high population of PhDs.