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Article

26 Mar 2008

Author:
Associated Press

Group says GE supplier in China subjects workers to toxins

A new report says a Chinese factory that makes light bulbs for General Electric Co. subjects many of its employees to 64-hour work weeks and toxic mercury used in the production process. The report by Cleveland-based Policy Matters Ohio accuses Xiamen Topstar Lighting Co. Ltd., a joint venture of Topstar in China and GE, of violating China's labor laws and GE's corporate policies... GE officials said they were surprised by the allegations, because they "contradict our rigorous supplier criteria and findings of our reviews at this site," said Kim Freeman, a spokeswoman... The company said it could not comment on the report's validity but it would investigate... A GE safety and labor audit of the factory six months ago met GE's standards, Freeman said... The director of administration at Topstar Lighting dismissed the report's allegations, saying the factory strictly followed labor laws on matters such as working hours and overtime compensation.