Apple supplier discards its poisoned employees
By Xu Chi |
February 28, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WINTEK, a main supplier to Apple, has allegedly refused to renew the employment contracts for workers who have been poisoned through exposure to toxic chemicals at its Suzhou-based factory.
A female worker, surnamed Wang, who was poisoned by chemicals, told Beijing Morning Post yesterday that Wintek had refused to renew her employment contract - she has been working in the factory for seven years.
Another victim, Jia Jingchuan, complained to Shanghai Daily yesterday that five of his colleagues, whose health was severely harmed through chemical poisoning, may lose their jobs after their contracts expire in April and May, as the company didn't show any intention of renewing them.
Jia said that previously the company used to inform workers whether their contracts would be renewed one month before they expired, but now they were delaying the decisions and trying to avoid answering workers' questions.
"We worked hard … for the company, but now they treat us like a heavy burden, better to be thrown away," said Jia.
Wintek, the Taiwanese company that owns the factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, has admitted the use of hexyl hydride, also called n-hexane, from May 2008 to August 2009, making 137 workers ill.
Workers now worry about their future as they don't have insurance to cover their -medical expenses. Some of the workers wanted to buy insurance policies from China Pacific or China Life Insurance Companies, but the companies refused to sell contracts to them after officials -conducted risk assessments on their health.
"The insurance companies don't want to cover the huge medical expenses," said Jia.
So far, Wintek has given them 10 million yuan (US$152,704) in compensation, but 8 million of it was used to cover the medical expenses of the poisoned workers, said Jia.
A female worker, surnamed Wang, who was poisoned by chemicals, told Beijing Morning Post yesterday that Wintek had refused to renew her employment contract - she has been working in the factory for seven years.
Another victim, Jia Jingchuan, complained to Shanghai Daily yesterday that five of his colleagues, whose health was severely harmed through chemical poisoning, may lose their jobs after their contracts expire in April and May, as the company didn't show any intention of renewing them.
Jia said that previously the company used to inform workers whether their contracts would be renewed one month before they expired, but now they were delaying the decisions and trying to avoid answering workers' questions.
"We worked hard … for the company, but now they treat us like a heavy burden, better to be thrown away," said Jia.
Wintek, the Taiwanese company that owns the factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, has admitted the use of hexyl hydride, also called n-hexane, from May 2008 to August 2009, making 137 workers ill.
Workers now worry about their future as they don't have insurance to cover their -medical expenses. Some of the workers wanted to buy insurance policies from China Pacific or China Life Insurance Companies, but the companies refused to sell contracts to them after officials -conducted risk assessments on their health.
"The insurance companies don't want to cover the huge medical expenses," said Jia.
So far, Wintek has given them 10 million yuan (US$152,704) in compensation, but 8 million of it was used to cover the medical expenses of the poisoned workers, said Jia.
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