Korea Times Scoops US Media On Pfizer Worksite Safety-Multinational Criticized Over Safety

Korea Times Scoops US Media On Pfizer Worksite Safety-Multinational Criticized Over Biotech Worksite Safety

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/10/113_53466.html

10-13-2009 19:43
Multinational Criticized Over Worksite Safety

Becky McClain, a biological researcher, claims that her former employer was not attentive to worksite safety.
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

An American scientist criticized Pfizer for its inattention to worksite safety, expressing her support for an effort by workers at the U.S. pharmaceutical firm’s Korean branch to set up a union to protect their rights.

In an email letter to The Korea Times, Becky McClain claimed that she became seriously ill and was hospitalized as a result of being infected with a virus while working at Pfizer’s lab in Connecticut.

McClain’s case was taken by some as a case illustrating the lack of adequate care by big pharmaceutical firms regarding the safety of biotech workers.

“I feel for Shim Dong-hee. I know what he has experienced. I acknowledge him for trying to help other co-workers,” McClain told The Korea Times. The newspaper previously reported on Shim’s weekly protest in front of Pfizer Korea headquarters in downtown Seoul.

Shim was fired for trying to organize a union at Pfizer Animal Health with his colleagues.
“This issue is about the powerful against the weak. Pfizer is just a big bully,” McClain said.
She said the culture at Pfizer is such that workers raise public health, safety, or any other issues at the risk of being kicked out.

McClain, who was a safety officer at the firm’s lab, claims that she was exposed to biological hazards, specifically viruses and embryonic stem cells.

“These are cells that can make animals sick, so they can make humans sick as well.” She has requested the company release related records so her healthcare expenses can be covered to get compensation for her illness, but Pfizer has refused.

In response to the Times’ inquiry, Lee Eun-jeong, communications manager of Pfizer Korea said they were unaware of the case in the U.S.

“Shim’s protest is significant,” Lee said, but didn’t elaborate further.

A union group, which Shim belongs to, welcomed McClain’s message. “It is not a problem only for Pfizer Korea but for all Pfizer branches around the world, so we hope to fight the firm in conjunction with employees around the world,” said Kim Jong-yeon, director of the Korea Clerical Workers Union for Solidarity.

kswho(at)koreatimes.co.kr
The "Nightmare at Pfizer "- Injured Biotech Worker Becky McClain Speaks at 2009 April 28, 2009 SF Workers Memorial Day
http://blip.tv/file/2061380

Pfizer Biotech Stem Cell Researcher Becky McClain Reports On Health And Safety Dangers In The Biotech Industry.

Injured Pfizer Molecular Biologist Becky McClain was a health and safety officer at the drug company Pfizer. She was concerned about the dangers of stem cell research and lack of proper oversight and health and safety protection. She brought these concerns to OSHA and was told that they could not defend her and other biotech workers. She was also infected as a result of these unsafe health and safety practices and is fighting to make the public aware of the dangers of this new unregulated industry. The current developing pandemic in Mexico in Mexico of a swine flu is a clear example of the potential public and human cost of unregulated and uncontrolled development of genetic engineering without proper health and safety. Although there is no evidence at present that this flu was the result of genetic engineering this could have come from genetic engineering. Becky McClain, worked at the Pfizer laboratory in Connecticut and was working on stem cell research when she incurred biological exposures while on the job. She has been fighting since that time to obtain the right to her exposure records which are necessary for healthcare and compensation for her injuries. The company still refuses to release these records. The federal lack of protection of the introduction of new technology in the workplace is a growing danger not only to those technology workers but the public at large. In light of the new emerging swine flu epidemic in Mexico, biotech workers rights and public health and safety are the first line of defense against accidental, negligent or intentional release of infectious agents that could cause new emerging disease. Becky also talk about the case of biotech worker Dr. Jeannette Adu-Bobie and how she had to fight for healthcare after being infected at her laboratory in New Zealand.
http://watchdogonscience.blogspot.com/2009/04/workers-memorial-day-press-conference.html
You can find more out about McClain's work at http://www.workersmemorialday.org/documents/McClain.htm http://www.cpab.info director(at)cpab.info
The San Francisco Workers Memorial Day event on April 28, 2009 where McClain spoke was sponsored by the California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day CCWMD and was held at ILWU Local 34 in San Francisco.
http://www.workersmemorialday.org
Video Produced by
Labor Video Project P.O. Box 720027 San Francisco, CA 94172
http://www.laborvideo.org