1999 Workers in India Strike Over Health and Safety Workers at the Hema Chemical Industries plant in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, have been on strike for more than seven months in protest against the company's refusal to observe the health and safety regulations in the 1948 Factory Act or even court orders. Despite management's flagrant disregard of the law, the government of the state of Gujarat issued an injunction against the strike on May 1, showing its contempt for the international workers' holiday. One of the main functions of the Hema plant is to manufacture chromium derivatives, such as bichromate. The hazards of chromium are well known. For example, cement, oil, automobile, and diesel locomotive repairers often face skin problems from working with materials containing chromium.
Bichromate is hexavalent chromium, which is a human carcinogen.
It mainly attacks the upper respiratory tract-including the nose, pharynx, and lungs. It can also damage the kidneys, stomach, and liver. The workers working at Hema chemicals have fallen prey to all these hazards. Forty-three workers have been found to be suffering from nasal septum perforation and 23 from contact and sensitizing dermatitis. We urgently appeal to the unions, groups, and individuals to send financial help to the workers of Hema Chemicals.