English news report on JetPower 22 Apr 2009
Han Ximin WORKERS at Shenzhen Jieba Battery Co. blockaded the factory in Luohu early Monday, demanding an additional 3 million yuan (US$439,100) in compensation for layoffs and cadmium poisoning. Among them, 10 workers who had excessive cadmium levels demanded more compensation to cover their medical bills. Others wanted to be re-examined to check their health. The blockade was triggered by the transfer of property and assets initiated by the company in January. The company had sold some of the production equipment to a Hunan battery manufacturer in June last year and moved some assets to its Huizhou plant in December and January while the workers were away during the Spring Festival, Zhang Zhonghua, a technician who had worked in the factory for 13 years, was quoted by a Hong Kong newspaper as saying. The factory planned to move its operations to Huizhou in June to reduce costs to soften the impact of the global financial crisis.
