Workers’ good relationship with their employers

​Good behavior

According to information from Trade union of Bien Hoa Industrial Zone (I.Z), there were 160 affected businesses by recent social disorders of extremists in this area. These enterprises must give employees temporary leave, at least one day-off, and at most 10 day-offs. After efforts and positive support from the government, authorities and trade unions at all levels, the enterprises have so far resumed their operations, stabilized the production. Under the guidance of the provincial Labor Federation, trade unions at primary level have recently mobilized workers to join hands to help enterprises to recover the damages by their actual actions and contributions at the working place. Workers responded actively to this mobilization.  

Chairman of Trade Union of Bien Hoa I.Z, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang said that workers in 10 businesses agreed not to receive the salary for day-offs and deduct those days to annual leave; the majority of workers in 7 enterprises accepted holiday without pay, workers in 2 companies agreed to be paid for half of day-offs and deduct the rest to annual leave. In other businesses, employees volunteer to work or receive 50% salary for the day-offs. Fifty seven enterprises proposed to pay basic salary regulated by the State to their workers for these day-offs, of which many employees voluntarily share the difficulties with companies by getting 70 to 75 percent of salary during holiday.  

Vice Chairman of the provincial Labor Federation, Mr. Tang Quoc Lap stated that after the  meeting between the provincial Labor Federation together with competent agencies and businesses with their primary Labor Unions in Nhon Trach district; there were an additional five businesses where employees voluntarily refuse to receive salary for day-offs. Noticeably, in this five companies, business owners used to be uncomfortable with paying for workers but when workers volunteered not to receive salary, they changed their attitude and thanked for the cooperation of workers and voluntarily paid salary to the employees. There are two businesses where workers have registered for working extra shifts without wage for one shift. 

Vice Chairman of the provincial Labor Federation, Mr. Tang Quoc Lap remarked that: "The policy of the Trade union is mobilizing workers to support enterprises in stabilizing production and trade. And it is positively responded by workers, creates the good impression with business owners. This also strengthens the relationship among businesses, workers and trade unions; reflects the true essence of the working class of Vietnam in general and of Dong Nai in particular. It is expected that the whole workers will continue to uphold this spirit, to behave correctly, to have practical actions to support enterprises, etc.

Experience from labor unions at primary level

Branch of Great Veca Corporation in Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Zone is the place which extremists came for 2 times but fortunately, there was no significant damage though the company had to temporarily closed in 6 days. Mr. Luong Ngoc Hoi, Chairman of primary labor union, Manager of Human Resources Department, said: "We learnt the experience from the recent emergency situations is that calm and active response to propose immediate solutions for the company. Right after the incident is informed, primary Labor Union promptly mobilize the core forces to protect the company, require office staffs to remove all computers, social insurance books, important documents, money and load to containers, using the containers to obstruct the doors of factories, carry out protective plans for workers, foreign experts and other proper measures to deal with the situation, etc.” 

Vietnam NOK Co., Ltd. (in Amata Industrial Zone) is one of the riot-affected businesses but not significantly damaged. Vice Chairman of Labor Union of NOK Company, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thai Vinh said that the company was protected successfully by core safeguards of 70 employees on duty in 24 out of 24 hours during the days of incident. He also proposed that from the previous cases, the competent authorities should ask businesses which have established and put into operation to form the teams to react in emergency situations or to build the so-called self-defense team in the businesses. Every year, authorities will train the self-defense teams to be ready to protect businesses when necessary. This recommendation is also consistent with the guidelines of the provincial Labor Federation to trade unions at all levels in coordinating with companies to build their core protective workers.

Chien furniture production Co., Ltd is also a typical example of workers’ solidarity. As soon as hearing about the social disorders in other places, Labor Union demanded business owner to stop working for half an hour to have a quick meeting with workers, then broadcasting on loudspeaker about ongoing situation and directing workers to prepare for business safeguard. Therefore, workers insisted to stay and protect the company, continue their job and work overtime at the first days when the disturbances occur. Even when a mass of people pushed the company’s gate, the workers were noticed of stop working, but they still requested to stay to protect the company. 

Many labor unions at primary levels think that propaganda in employees is very important and if the workers are well-informed and encouraged, the company can be active in every case. Hence, it is necessary for Labor Union to organize this regularly. 

In Taekwang Vina Company, Mr. Dinh Sy Phuc, Chairman of the enterprise’s labor union defined that: “The company plans to pay full salary for workers in those day-offs. To support the enterprises, Trade union mobilizes both white-collar and blue-collar workers to increase productivity, improve product quality, economize raw materials, reduce waste product, donate money to back up Hoang Sa- Truong Sa. This was also a way of expressing patriotism that employees in Taekwang Vina did".

From May 30th to June 05th, provincial Labor Union and related agencies, department held a meeting with representatives of enterprises and primary labor unions in Industrial Zones in Nhon Trach district, Bien Hoa city and Tam Phuoc I.Z (Bien Hoa). In the working session, after representatives of provincial Labor Union and related departments and agencies noticed and directed measures for assisting businesses in dealing with obstacles following the recent incidents; some enterprises proposed the authority to put down in writing for businesses to know clearly about the assisting measures.  

After being disseminated, mobilized, many employees expressed the cooperative spirit with their employers in various ways. In Nhon Trach district, of 66 damaged businesses, 37 companies paid full salary to their workers for 3 day-offs; workers in 4 businesses accepted to receive 70% of their salary; workers in 3 businesses agreed to receive 50% salary; workers in 10 enterprises approved to deduct the day-off to their annual leave; workers in 6 businesses volunteer not to get paid for day-off.