Working Conditions

Update on Cadmium Poisoning of Gold Peak Battery workers – Business is Business in Hong Kong

Workers from the Shenzhen Jieba Factory which owned by the Hong Kong based Gold Peak Industries (Holdings) launched a legal case for compensation against cadmium poisoning incurred because of inadequate protection and education on the dangers of working with Cadmium. At the same time, Donald Tsang, Hong Kong's new Chief Executive, appointed Victor Lo Chung Wing, the Chair of Gold Peak to his expanded Executive Council, seemingly unaware of the irony of also simultaneously espousing increased government concern for welfare in his first Policy Address.  

The appointment, on 15 October, was criticized by Hong Kong unions and labour rights groups. Lee Chuek Yan, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union (HKCTU) was among several who questioned Victor Lo's eligibility to join the cabinet given his companies record in labour rights across the border. In response Victor Lo was reported as saying that it was “normal” to be involved in lawsuits considering the extent of his business.

On 10 October 2005, after several previous attempts and several campaign actions in Hong Kong, workers from a battery factory owned by Gold Peak Holdings [GP] of Hong Kong filed suit in the Shenzhen Luohu People's Court against the company for their failure to adequately protect them from cadmium poisoning. A date for the case to be heard has not yet been set.

Seventeen workers of the Shenzhen Jieba battery factory, a subsidiary of Gold Peak, are suing the company for damages after being diagnosed with excessive cadmium concentrations. They are asking for a total of 4.25 million Yuan in compensation and are accusing the company of failing to explain the potential hazards of using cadmium (contrary to article 45 of the Production Safety Law of China) and for not providing enough protection from the chemical. It is believed that the management failed to provide proper ventilation and adequate masks and that they failed to give workers medical check ups until workers started falling seriously ill in another GP owned factory in Huizhou in November 2003.

Workers interviewed included a 32 year old woman who was found to have cadmium levels three times higher than the Chinese Ministry of Health safety standard. Her 3 year old daughter who lives with her in the workers dormitories was also found to have excessive cadmium concentrations in her body.

The workers are being represented by Zhou Litao, a well known and outspoken lawyer who has previously defended many collective worker legal cases. According to Zhou Litao, over 30 workers at the Jieba factory had excessive cadmium levels during a check-up earlier in 2005 while two were in a serious condition and needed hospital treatment.