JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Some former air traffic controllers want the contractors who worked at the Federal Aviation Administration facility at Jacksonville International Airport to pay up, saying fumes during the repairs made them very ill.

Five air traffic controllers who used to work at JIA have not been back to work since March 2008, when they said a contractor repairing the roof at the radar center used a product that made them sick even to this day.

According to the workers, they developed respiratory problems as a result of the toxic fumes they inhaled when a new roof was being put on the building.

"You are getting dizzy and lightheadedness and trying to talk to airplanes and concentrate on what you are doing, and it was very difficult to maintain that concentration that you need," said former air traffic controller Dan Kersh.

Thirty employees filed sick reports last year. Most of those employees have since returned to work, but five said they couldn't get medical clearance to go back and recently received a notice from the FAA that they were removed.

On Monday, they filed a lawsuit suing Wells Global Inc. and Carolina Roofing Inc., which did the repair work. The former air traffic controllers said the material being used has a warning that it can cause heath problems but they said they were never warned of the danger.

They said all they saw was black goop dripping down on them.

"While they were trying to deal with all the planes coming in. This black adhesive glue started dripping down into the radar room on top of equipment, the furniture and them," said attorney Steve Pajcic.

"There were 13-14 of us sitting on a front lawn outside the facility throwing up, about to pass out, nose running, eyes running, and we are kind of swapping out with people inside the building," said former air controller Shawn Fields.

Their lawyer said they all continue to have allergic reactions and that's why they can't return.

The former air traffic controllers can't sue the FAA or the airport because they are getting workers' compensation, but they are suing the contractor for what they said was negligence.

"It was very difficult. It was like everyday you progressively felt worse, and as an air traffic controller you can't take more than Advil or Tylenol and go to work," Kersh said.

Carolina Roofing Inc. released a statement denying the allegations made and saying it has acted properly and has not had any complaints filed about the job it preformed.