Occupational Health Problems in the Electronics Industry in Asia and existing grassroots initiatives

This presentation will focus on the unprecedented growth of the electronics industry in Asia with China being both the largest manufacturer as well as the consumer of the electronics products. This has put millions of workers and communities at risk due to the exposure to chemicals being used in the manufacturing process or released during manual recycling. The industry continues to maintain a veil of secrecy about the hazards at the workplace and continues to deny any wrong doing. This in spite of the fact that workers are getting sick in many parts of Asia including Taiwan, Korea, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. There are conscious efforts of grassroots workers and victims' organizations to organize for justice and to highlight the severity of the problem. Though identification of the victims continues to be a very difficult process given the complications involved in the diagnosis and subsequent linkage to the workplace hazards, there is nevertheless overwhelming evidence emerging. Finally the presentation will touch upon the joint campaign by these grassroots groups at the regional level aimed at raising awareness, advocating for change in practice and upholding the rights of workers and communities.