|
US firm sued over cancer deaths
FAMILIES LEFT IN PAIN:
A woman claimed her sister would not have died prematurely of cancer had she not worked at the RCA television factory in Taoyuan
By Rich Chang
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, May 22, 2007, Page 1
A number of former workers of US company Radio Corporation of America (RCA) filed a lawsuit against the firm and another US company General Electric, which bought RCA in 1986, seeking compensation totaling NT$2.4 billion (US$72 million) for cancers suffered as a result of working for the company.
Former factory worker Chien Mei-ling (簡美伶), representing victims and their families, told a press conference yesterday that RCA opened a factory in Taoyuan City in 1960 to produce TV sets. The factory closed in 1992.
She said more than 80,000 people worked at the factory during the 22 years it was open, and of these 349 victims or relatives were involved in the lawsuit, of whom 32 had died of various cancers.
Chien added that in 1994 legislators had revealed for the first time that the factory had been responsible for polluting the local water supply with poisonous chemicals.
In 1998 the Environmental Protection Administration announced that land and water around the factory were seriously polluted.
Chien said that employees were exposed to pollution through groundwater they drank with many workers claiming it tasted strange.
A lawyer from non-governmental organization Legal Aid Foundation (LAF), Joseph Lin (林永頌), told the press conference that eight LAF lawyers would represent the victims in the lawsuit.
He said the Council of Labor Affairs on eight occasions, from 1975 to 1991, had checked the factory, and each time the factory failed to pass safety checks.
A victim's sister surnamed Yang told the press conference that her sibling would not have suffered cancer and died aged only 50 if she had not worked at the factory.
"The RCA factory polluted Taiwan's land and water, leaving thousands of families in pain," Yang said.
The Taipei District Court began hearing the compensation trial yesterday afternoon.
Lin told the court that in many countries companies being sued in serious environmental pollution cases must prove their innocence, rather than alleged victims having to prove the firm's responsibility.
This story has been viewed 1286 times.
|
Print
Mail
wiki links