The High Court on Wednesday ruled that the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and three other companies must pay NT$170 million (US$5.16 million) to former workers and family members affected by cancer-causing chemicals used at its factory in Taoyuan from 1970 to 1992.
The second-instance judgement by the High Court in the case involving 222 plaintiffs seeking health-related damages represents the latest development in a series of complex legal battles that have been fought over the past two decades.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“Although the amount of [compensation] in today’s verdict is not high, the ruling is still a step in the right direction,” RCA Employee Care Association chairperson Tu Chin-chu (杜津珠) said.
“At the same time, [the verdict] also tells business owners that they should take into account employees’ physical and mental health when pursuing profits,” Tu said. “We also hope that Taiwanese companies will learn a lesson from the RCA case and treat the younger generation of workers well.”
The plaintiff’s legal team also issued a press release after the ruling, saying that the compensation amount was lower than what the workers deserved.
Noting that the affected former RCA workers would find the compensation amount “hard to accept,” the lawyers said they would discuss with them whether to appeal the decision.
In a statement on Wednesday, the High Court said its judgement took into account scientific findings from overseas agencies, including the US-based Health Effects Institute.
The court found the plaintiffs were exposed to levels of harmful substances that exceeded legally acceptable levels.
RCA, a US electronics company, operated three factories in Taiwan from 1970 to 1992, employing about 80,000 workers at its peak.
In 1986, RCA was taken over by US conglomerate General Electric, which sold its factory in what was then Taoyuan County in 1988 to Thomson Consumer Electronics, the US subsidiary of French company Technicolor Group SA.
Three years after the acquisition, Thomson Consumer Electronics discovered pollutants at the Taoyuan plant and closed it the following year.
In 1998, a group of workers formed a self-help association to seek compensation through legal channels, resulting in multiple lawsuits involving nearly 2,000 plaintiffs beginning in 2004.
RCA was later found liable for illnesses, including cancer, contracted by employees due to exposure to harmful chemicals, such as the carcinogen trichloroethylene.
It was also found to have dumped toxic waste close to its factory, contaminating soil and groundwater.
In 2020, the High Court ruled in a civil suit against RCA, its parent company and successor entities that 24 out of 246 plaintiffs in one case be awarded NT$54.7 million, while rejecting the claims of the remaining 222.
Following appeals, the Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that the case involving the 222 plaintiffs be returned to the High Court for a second trial, whose decision was released on Wednesday.
The decision can be appealed.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS