Fourteen people who contracted cadmium poisoning while working
at two battery factories in Huizhou, Guangdong Province remain
employed, a local government official said yesterday.
In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Lin Ping,
deputy secretary-general of the city government, said: "The
government has done a lot work to coordinate with the factories to
compensate and help the affected workers."
The government had earlier helped secure 20 million yuan ($2.75
million) in compensation for hundreds of workers at the two
factories who had fallen ill, Lin said.
Fourteen workers quit after falling sick, but later wanted to
return to their jobs, he said.
"The workers will be entitled to pensions and medical treatment
that would otherwise be unavailable to them without any employment
relationship," Lin said.
In June 2004, local authorities ordered the nickel-cadmium
battery production line at the GP Battery Factory and the entire
Xianjin Battery plant to close after the illnesses were reported,
Lin said. Both factories belong to the same owner from Hong
Kong.
Following monitoring, all health indicators at the remaining
production lines are back to normal, he said.
Cadmium is an extremely hazardous metal used to make some types
of batteries. It can damage the lungs, kidneys and irritate the
digestive tract.
Lin said 361 of the 371 affected workers quit their jobs in
2004.
Over the following three years, many of them sued their
employers for compensation or asked to "restore the employment
relationship", Lin said.
Sixteen workers who fell ill have received medical treatment and
are paid a monthly subsidy of 1,480 yuan ($200), the average income
in the city.
"The battery firm paid for their treatment and the subsidies,"
Lin said.
Those with abnormally high levels of cadmium in their systems
received compensation up to 8,000 yuan. A total of 901 women
workers quit work at the two factories in 2004.
"The government has kept a close eye on not only the battery
firm but also on other firms with a poison risk," Lin said.
Tan Bizhong, a worker from Chongqing who quit in October 2006
but was re-employed in July, said the working environment at the
plant was better now.
"All in all, I'm happy with the arrangement," she said.
(China Daily January 15, 2008)