<incom> SOMO, Workers poisoned in Nokia and Motorola factories

[Soenke Zehle]

We had a good workshop in Berlin with Pun Ngai (SACOM) and May Wong 
(CWWN) as well as an update on the International Electronics Network 
(office at SOMO, see below), workshop documentation should become 
available at http://pcglobal.org soon, Soenke

*Von:* SOMO [mailto:communication at somo.nl]

SOMO report reveals abuses in Mobile Phone Industry

WORKERS POISONED IN NOKIA AND MOTOROLA FACTORIES

Amsterdam 1 December 2006 – Mobile telephones and mobile phone
components are often produced under poor working conditions. A new
report from SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations)
reveals abuses in Chinese, Thai, Philippine and Indian factories of the
five largest mobile telephone companies: Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony
Ericsson and LG.  Workers in factories producing parts for Nokia and
Motorola work without proper protection and are exposed to chemicals
that cause chronic illnesses and serious physical harm.

SOMO researcher Joseph Wilde explains: “Particularly in the Chinese and
Thai factories, where components for mobile telephones are made, a
number of international labour and health and safety standards are
violated. Employee initiatives to improve working conditions are
thwarted by the factory owners.”

The research shows that remuneration is often below the minimum wage and
that holiday and sick leave are not paid. Employees frequently work
between two and five hours of overtime a day, six or seven days a week
without proper compensation. Health and safety measures in many
factories are inadequate: there is not enough protection from hazardous
chemicals nor do workers receive training for working with these toxic
substances. This leads to chronic physical complaints from workers.
Although, on paper, the companies do have codes of conduct and
requirements for suppliers, these are often not followed, especially
among sub-tier suppliers, and the major companies do not sufficiently
control for compliance.

In a factory in China producing lenses for Motorola phones, researchers
encountered nine workers who had been poisoned through unprotected
contact with toxic chemicals used in making telephone parts.  One of the
women was pregnant and had to undergo an abortion because of
complications caused by the poisoning.  The management of the factory
initially refused to provide medical treatment, prolonging the workers’
suffering.

In a factory in Thailand making motors for Nokia phones, employees work
with lead solder and have to buy their own protective masks and gloves
because the company wants to save on ‘overhead’. Lead solder contains
40% lead and is so dangerous that it has been banned from electronics by
several European regulations. Instead of protective equipment, the
workers are given milk to filter the toxins from their blood. Several
sick workers were hospitalised and diagnosed with dangerous levels of
lead poisoning.

In addition to these case studies and others from China, the
Philippines, Thailand and India SOMO’s report examines the entire mobile
telephone sector and provides an analysis of industry trends,
oursourcing and the role of mobile service providers. The study also
reviews international regulations, codes and initiatives on corporate
social responsibility and the manner in which they influence the mobile
phone supply chain.

________________________________________________


Editorial Notes:

For further information, contact:

Esther de Haan (e.dehaan at somo.nl, mobile: +31 642243153) or Joseph Wilde
(j.wilde at somo.nl, mobile: +31 651968483):  tel +31 20 639 12 91

The report ‘The High Cost of Calling: Critical issues in the Mobile
Phone Industry’ is available at SOMO. Journalists can request a free copy.

The report can also be downloaded at:
http://www.somo.nl/html/paginas/pdf/High_Cost_of_Calling_nov_2006_EN.pdf

SOMO - Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations is a non-profit
Dutch research and advisory bureau that since 1973 investigates the
consequences of Multinational Enterprises’ policies and the
internationalisation of business worldwide. www.somo.nl

Centre for research on Multinational Corporations

Keizersgracht 132
1015 CW Amsterdam
Tel           +31 (0)20 6391291
Fax          +31 (0)20 6391321
info at somo.nl <mailto:info at somo.nl>