Workers at Viet Glory Company Limited in central Nghe An Province are happy to return to work on Monday after six days on strike. VNA/VNS
Around 5,000 workers from a leather shoe manufacturing company in central Nghe An province, Vietnam, returned to work on February 14, after six days on strike.
The workers of Viet Glory Company Limited started their strike on the first working day of the Lunar New Year on February 7, claiming that their basic salary and seniority allowance was too low and their monthly income could not make ends meet.
The strike ended after the company pledged to provide benefits to workers.
Senior officials welcomed staff back to work on February 14, including vice-chairman of Nghe An province’s Labour Confederation, Nguyen Chi Cong, leaders of Dien Chau district’s Labour Confederation, Pham Duc Cuong and Vu Duy Tu, deputy director of Viet Glory Company, Chang Shih Yueh, and provincial and district trade union officials.
Cong said the confederation was delighted that all workers have returned to work, and he said he felt motivated because the trade union’s efforts to connect the company’s leaders and workers saw good results.
Many workers shared that they agreed with the financial changes.
Chang Shih Yueh, deputy director of Viet Glory Company, said he appreciated the timely support of the trade union and local authority.
On February 7, all workers of Viet Glory Company in Dien Truong Commune, Dien Chau district stopped working and requested the company’s leaders to change or add regulations on salaries and allowances.
After negotiating with employees under the participation of trade union on February 12, the company agreed to increase the basic salary by six per cent for all employees starting in February, while raising the seniority allowance for those who have worked for one year and over.
With this decision, workers will have at least 220,000 dong ($9) added to their basic salary each month.
Their fuel allowance would increase from 200,000 dong to 260,000 dong. Male workers who have children will be given 50,000 dong per month. VNS/ANN
This means the company will have to spend 1.5 billion dong ($66,025) more every month to pay its staff.
At the meeting, the board of directors asked all workers to return to work on February 14. The company would handle those who refused to resume work in accordance with the labour law.
Also on February 14, thousands of workers in Vienergy Company Limited in northern Ninh Bình Province ended their strike and went back to work.
A representative of the company’s trade union said the company has resumed operations on the morning of February 14.
He said the trade union has collected the demands and recommendations of workers, including a basic salary increase, no deduction of fuel allowance in case of sickness, accidents or other unexpected events, and a better maternity policy.
The company answered all questions raised by its employees and made necessary changes to basic salaries, as well as other allowances, which have been negotiated and agreed upon.
On Friday, the provincial Labour Confederation, the provincial Trade Union of Industrial Parks and the city’s People’s Committee worked with representatives of the company’s leaders, trade union and workers, after more than 5,000 workers went on strike.
The company committed to providing full pay to the workers for the two-day strike.
VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
