Chinese workers at a factory makes touch screens on contract Apple for has called on the American company to help address their complaints about a chemical poisoning said they could still harm their health.
Wintek, the Taiwanese company that owns the factory in Suzhou industrial park in China Eastern, said it used ethylhexyl metal hydride, also known as n-hexane, from May 2008 to August 2009, but stopped after discovering it was to make workers sick.
"This is a murderer, a murderer, who turns invisible," said a Chinese-language copy of the letter meant for Apple CEO Steve Jobs to workers showed Reuters. An English version had been sent to Apple.
"From when ethylhexyl metal hydride was used, monthly surplus of Apple and Wintek gone by millions each month, the accumulated result of workers ' lives and health," said the letter, signed by five workers claiming to represent employees.
Wintek said it had used chemical, which evaporates faster than alcohol, in order to speed up production of touch screen for Apple products. It has since gone back to the use of alcohol.
Apple, which announced record profits in January, has been dogged by criticism of working conditions on its China-based suppliers.
Last year was his China main supplier Foxconn hit by more than a dozen apparently worker suicide that critics blame on harsh factory vessels conditions.
Poisoning was mentioned in a recent report from Apple, as sources many of its autobiographical iPhones, iPads and other devices for contract manufacturers in China. The report said 137 workers had been hospitalized due to poisoning but had all recovered a conclusion also offered by Wintek.
Apple declined to comment on workers ' letter and referred to its supplier report a reporter back.
But some of the workers on the Winteks extensive factory in Suzhou said Taiwanese factory-owner had not given sufficient compensation to affected workers, had pressured those who train compensation to give up their jobs, and had offered insurance to workers, who likes fresh bouts of illness from poisoning will have medical bills ensured.
"I hope Apple can respect our labor and our dignity. I hope you can stand and excuse us, "said Jia Jingchuan, a 27-year-old production technician to Wintek who said he is sick from ethylhexyl metal hydride, which workers said was used to iPhone cleaning the touch screen.
Wintek spokesman Jay Huang said all staff as needed medical care because of n-hexane poisoning had been dealt with, and that the company has returned to use alcohol to clean the panels, which it manufactures to Apple.
"We are unable to cope with the costs of medical treatment in the future," said Guo Ruiqiang, a worker at Wintek facility, said he suffering fresh symptoms he blame on poisoning. "We can only stay in the factory and see what happens. We just feel very helpless now, "said Guo.
He and other workers said poisoning caused sweaty hands and feet, sudden numbness in hands, increment, and pain in the feet, fatigue andfaintness.
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