Workers poisoned in Nokia and Motorola factories

In a factory in Thailand making motors for Nokia (NYSE: NOK) phones, employees work with lead solder and have to buy their own protective masks and gloves because the company wants to save on ‘overhead’. Lead solder contains 40% lead and is so dangerous that it has been banned from electronics by several European regulations. Instead of protective equipment, the workers are given milk to filter the toxins from their blood. Several sick workers were hospitalised and diagnosed with dangerous levels of lead poisoning.

Source: SOMO

I don’t really know what to say expect I was kind of expecting this. I mean exploitation of labor is nothing new, and people will always try to blow the lid on it, but we can’t fix it from here. The government needs to implement changes, and that gets in to a political issue that is beyond me or you. Do I feel bad for these people? Sure, but what can I do?