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CHINA: When Gold Peak Industries opened its Huizhou factories in 1994, Chinese workers were not warned of the dangers of handling cadmium and were initially refused masks. Years later, these workers suffer from cadmium poisoning, are going into debt from medical bills and unable to find new employment.
At least 400 workers at two factories in Huizhou have for years been exposed to varying degrees of exposure to cadmium, a poisonous chemical used in the manufacturing of batteries. More recently, several dozen Gold Peak workers have been hospitalised due to exposure to this toxic chemical, some complaining of intense pain. A total of eight workers have been diagnosed as cadmium poisoned.
Gold Peak batteries are widely sold in Asia and all over the world, for use mostly in toys, but also in laptop computers and cameras.
The company has refused to meet the demands of workers in several factories where workers, together with supporters and labour rights activists, have been campaigning for improved compensation from the company, sickness insurance and better provision of medical check-ups. Gold Peaks purposefully humiliates workers seeking medical check-ups: for a urine test the workers have to fully undress and shower under supervision.
To be able to receive compensation, affected workers have to be fired. This lends to an already difficult financial situation because most are facing high medical bills as well. Their medical situation makes it hard to find permament employment and Chinese law for compensation is very limited. In addition to illness and unemployment, Gold Peaks workers campaigning for decent compensation have been threatened with criminal charges by local Chinese management.
The IMF has written to GP Batteries' worldwide headquarters in Hong Kong and its European headquarters in the Netherlands in support of the workers. IMF calls on affiliates to also press Gold Peaks management in their countries to address the dire situation for Chinese workers in Huizho. Gold Peak is present in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, China, South Korea, the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the UK, Italy, Sweden and Japan.
To send a letter in support of Chinese Gold Peak workers, contact:
GP Batteries Europe B.V.
De heer R. Brands
Kortijzer 4
5712 VE Asten
Nederland
And
Mr. Victor Lo Chung Wing,
Chairman ... CEO
Gold Peak Industries (Holdings) Limited
8/F Gold Peak Building
30 Kwai Wing Road
Kwai Chung
Hong Kong
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