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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

Environmental Justice and Human Rights Application in the Global Electronics Industry

David Pellow, PhD, University of California, San Diego, xxx, San Diego, CA 00000, 858- 822-5118, tsmith@svtc.org

Workers in the global electronics industry experience exposure to toxic chemicals on the job, low wages, and exploitative managerial practices that prevent laborers from joining unions or enjoying basic labor rights, even when officially protected by domestic legislation and/or international law. This is a dynamic rooted in national, class, gender, and ethnic inequalities between a relatively powerless labor force and a global managerial class that exercises a great deal of influence over both working conditions and the labor and environmental policies of nation-states.

The experiences of electronics workers in US, Latin America, and Asia are compared, using qualitative data derived from non-governmental organizations, media reports, interviews, and field observations concerning occupational and environmental health hazards. Data on health experiences, morbidity and mortality are presented and compared across nations.

Drawing on literatures from environmental justice studies and human rights research, the condition of these laborers is considered within a broader context of struggles for social equality and global justice. Policy frameworks and principles for sustainability, human rights, and environmental justice are presented and assessed in light of the findings.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

Challenging The Chip: Labor Rights, Health and Environmental Justice in the Global Electronics Industry

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA