Feng Xing-zhong: My Grim Experience in the Dusty Jewelry Sweatshop

Count Down to Death - Battle Cry for Responsibility of my Dust Lung

"If I could return to ten years ago, I would never work in this factory. Now I could only face the reality, everything else is meaningless for me. I look like a normal person externally, but I am not even able to do any housework. Even walking is a hard task for me. When doctors diagnosed my lung, they all shook their head. The pressure from my family is heavy. Sometimes, I really want to cry when I am alone. If I have not been supported by my wife, I would have been died already."

Mr. Feng Xing-zhong, 32-year-old, a peasant migrant worker came from Sichuan Province of China. In 1992, his fellow villagers introduced him to come to Guangdong Province to start his factory worker life. He drifted in Huizhou City for half year and finally got a position of gem stone-cutting in Ko Ngar Gems Factory Ltd. He treasured his work for 8 years, until he received a notice to leave the factory in year 2000.

"When I was in the eighth year in the factory, my boss did his first attempt to invit a doctor and transported medical equipments from his hometown to give workers a medical check-up. Three days later, my boss's brother told me, 'you may have contracted tuberculosis, TB is infectious, you better go back to your hometown and take a rest. I will arrange an easy position for you when you recovered.' Then I went back home. I took the TB treatment for one and half year, but I did not feel a bit better. I found I had to breathe heavily when climbed a slope or stairs."

After the long but ineffective TB treatment, Feng had another physical examination in the "Hospital of Occupational Disease and Prevention" in a nearby county town. Finally, in year 2002, it was confirmed that he got the occupational chronic disease, silicosis, classified stage II. He went back to Huizhou City but the factory had already moved to Haifeng City with the factory name changed. He was not welcomed by the boss and received only a ruthless answer, 'Instead of giving money to you, I would rather spend the money to government officials that can help my business.' The boss denied himself of any responsibility. Since then, he has fought for compensation for 3 years till now.

Feng feels deeply disappointed with the employer's ruthlessness. He dedicated his precious youth to that factory with only this dying body in result. He worked for 12 hours per day and had only one day-off per month on average, in peak season he even had to worked for 20 hours a day. There was no extra compensation for overtime. He received around USD150 per month for his labour.

"At that time, we did not have any consciousness to protect ourselves, but the boss knows the danger in this industry. In my workplace, there were three fans and one air exhauster installed, but they were not functioning at all. Sometimes we quarreled with the management for giving us one more facemask. He just provided three or four facemasks for us per month that is definitely not enough. The air was full of dust, our sputum was black in colour; our nostril was black in colour too. If the gemstones were colored in black, red or whatsoever, our nostril, hair and clothes would also be colored in the same manner. "

Now his sickness is authenticated as permanent disability level 4 according to the Chinese standard. However he has not taken any medical treatment at all for three years. He don't have any money for medical treatment. He received no compensation at all. He described his physical strength as a 70 years old man. He has tried to refer his case to the arbitration court to strive for reasonable indemnity. Simultaneously, Feng is joining the campaign with a group of other silicosis victims to seek justice. He wishes to contribute his remaining life to help other victims, but the time is running short.

"We have to improve the working condition in jewelry industry. We are not only fighting for our own compensation, but also to strive for a better jewellery manufacturing environment! To let the latecomers know the fact and avoid following our disastrous road! To let the employers know not only making profit, but to concern also for the workers!"

(Written by Jane Tam on 26th March 2005. The interview was conducted on 21st March 2005)