Fourteen people who contracted cadmium poisoning while working at two battery factories in Huizhou, Guangdong Province remain employed, a local government official said yesterday.

In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Lin Ping, deputy secretary-general of the city government, said: "The government has done a lot work to coordinate with the factories to compensate and help the affected workers."

The government had earlier helped secure 20 million yuan ($2.75 million) in compensation for hundreds of workers at the two factories who had fallen ill, Lin said.

Fourteen workers quit after falling sick, but later wanted to return to their jobs, he said.

"The workers will be entitled to pensions and medical treatment that would otherwise be unavailable to them without any employment relationship," Lin said.

In June 2004, local authorities ordered the nickel-cadmium battery production line at the GP Battery Factory and the entire Xianjin Battery plant to close after the illnesses were reported, Lin said. Both factories belong to the same owner from Hong Kong.

Following monitoring, all health indicators at the remaining production lines are back to normal, he said.

Cadmium is an extremely hazardous metal used to make some types of batteries. It can damage the lungs, kidneys and irritate the digestive tract.

Lin said 361 of the 371 affected workers quit their jobs in 2004.

Over the following three years, many of them sued their employers for compensation or asked to "restore the employment relationship", Lin said.

Sixteen workers who fell ill have received medical treatment and are paid a monthly subsidy of 1,480 yuan ($200), the average income in the city.

"The battery firm paid for their treatment and the subsidies," Lin said.

Those with abnormally high levels of cadmium in their systems received compensation up to 8,000 yuan. A total of 901 women workers quit work at the two factories in 2004.

"The government has kept a close eye on not only the battery firm but also on other firms with a poison risk," Lin said.

Tan Bizhong, a worker from Chongqing who quit in October 2006 but was re-employed in July, said the working environment at the plant was better now.

"All in all, I'm happy with the arrangement," she said.

(China Daily January 15, 2008)