Environment

General Electric

Last edited by liamk on May 15, 2008 - 9:29am
Name of work: 
Good Bulbs, Bad Jobs
Subtitle: 
Workers and conditions behind your new compact fluorescent
Year published: 
2007
Location of text: 
Policy Matters Ohio
Review: 

GE is closing light bulb manufacturing plants in Ohio and moving contracts to joint ventures in China. GE claims it cannot afford to produce CFLs in the US. Policy Matters Ohio argues conditions in China violate the GE Code of Conduct. Report discusses how conditions violate Chinese labor law. There is also concern over workers' health as they are dealing with dangerous levels of Mercury. Although the lightbulbs may be energy-efficient, that does not mean they are environmentally friendly.

Basic information
Name of author or organization: 
Policy Matters Ohio
Type of work: 
report
Format: 
electronic
Length: 
20 pages
Geographical scope: 

GE's international supply chain - Fujian Province, China and Ohio, USA

Crocodyl Company Profile: 
General Electric
Full text
Full text of work: 

A major supplier of compact fluorescent light bulbs to General Electric Co. requires many to work a 64-hour week that exhausts workers and violates Chinese labor law. Many workers at the plant in southern China, which is partly owned by GE, have no idea they are producing a product containing toxic mercury, and do not receive training on how to respond to its possible dangers.

Production and sales of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are growing rapidly in the United States and world-wide. The energy bill approved by the U.S. Congress in December mandates the phase-out of current incandescent light bulbs and their replacement with more energy-efficient products. At least for the immediate future in U.S. households, that means CFLs. Yet very few of these products are made in the United States. Thus, U.S. consumers are increasingly going to have to buy products made offshore under conditions that may fall far short of international labor standards....

(See pdf for complete document)