mainland jewelry workers protest in HK

["Sun Wukong" <husunzi@hotmail.com>]

This SCMP article mentions HK Christian Industrial Committee, but also 
involved in this protest was the Trans-Border Action Group 
(http://tbaggers.proboards28.com/), including a student named Chan Wai-Ling, 
2 of whose articles can be found on the CSG main page:
http://www.chinastudygroup.org/article/110/
http://www.chinastudygroup.org/article/109/

Matt

>Sick gem workers call for more compensation
>
>SCMP 17 June 2005
>
>Mainland gem workers protested outside a jewellery firm in Hunghom 
>yesterday, seeking compensation for an incurable lung disease [矽肺病] 
>contracted at work.
>
>Yu Daxu (余大樹), 32, developed silicosis while working at a jewellery 
>factory in Huizhou city , Guangdong, owned by a Hong Kong firm, Perfect Gem 
>and Pearl [麗雅寶石公司]. The condition is caused by inhaling mineral dust. 
>Mr Yu came to Hong Kong to meet representatives of the firm. A colleague, 
>Deng Wenping (鄧文平), 35, contracted silicosis at the same factory but was 
>too ill to travel and sent his wife and daughter to the protest instead. A 
>third victim from another Huizhou factory, Feng Xingzhong (馮興中), joined 
>the protest.
>
>Perfect Gem compensated Mr Yu and Mr Deng with $90,000 each in 2001, but it 
>had all been spent on medical bills and living expenses, said Parry Leung 
>Pak-nang, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee, a 
>rights group for mainland workers.
>
>The protesters demanded a meeting with the company's owner yesterday but 
>were told he was not in the office, Mr Leung said. However, he agreed to 
>meet them on June 26 in Huizhou.
>
>Copyright (c) 2005. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights 
>reserved.

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