Guest Comments by SACOM

Editor’s Note: The non-profit Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) began in Hong Kong as a movement to improve working conditions for cleaners and security guards. It addresses global and local labor issues.

CHINA -- A recent strike by 2,000 workers drew attention to poisoning cases at United Win, a subsidiary of Wintek Corporation and a contractor for Apple Computers, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.

Motivated mainly by the canceling of an annual bonus, the workers also protested about the poisonings. After the strike, they received the annual bonus, but the health issue remains.

Since mid 2009, rumors circulated about poisoning at the factory. In a press conference, the Suzhou Municipal Administration of Work Safety said that 47 United Win workers had shown symptoms of hexane poisoning. According to media reports, these employees worked on Apple’s production line. N-hexane was used to clean the touch screens of i-Phones.

Apple’s code of conduct specifies that “suppliers must identify, evaluate and control worker exposure to hazardous chemical, biological and physical agents.” Apparently, Apple failed to implement its code of conduct.

To better grasp the situation, SACOM investigated at United Win, interviewing about 20 workers, some receiving hospital treatment. Here are our key findings:

-- Workers believe Wintek initially planned to cover up the poisoning. Only after victims went to hospitals did the company arrange for check-ups. There’s a big discrepancy in the number of victims as reported by Wintek and by workers. Not all the victims were hospitalized. Some rested at home and then returned to work, depending on the severity of nerve damage.

-- Workers say the company opened emergency doors to dilute the density of chemicals before an inspection by local authorities.

-- Workers lack adequate rest. Normal working hours can reach 70 hours a week. Overtime is deemed mandatory.

-- Student interns toil as factory workers with equivalent hours. Yet they receive just RMB 500 a month with the rest of their salaries going to the schools.

-- No interviewed workers had heard of the codes of conduct by brands like Apple and Nokia.

-- Workers said they’d be scolded for lodging complaints. They lack effective channels to express grievances.