Translated to English by: DanLamBao's reader
April 03, 2014: Because Wonderful Saigon Electric (WSE) Company increased work hours without increasing pay fairly, 2000 workers went on strike. Today, April 3, 2014, is the third day of the strike. Workers said police beat them and they were able to take pictures of two of the policemen. Security guards of WSE pepper sprayed the workers on the face right in front of the police. WSE director Nguyen Quoc Thang told to the striking workers: "Wages are like that and if you guys don't like it then quit."
2000 workers from Wonderful Saigon Electrics went on strike
This morning (04/03/2014 ), more than 2000 workers from Wonderful Saigon Electrics company located at No. 16, No. 10 Road, VSIP 1, Thuan An District, Binh Duong (in Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park area) continued to go on strike to demand basic rights for themselves and their family members.
Wonderful Saigon Electric (WSE) Co.,Ltd., is a company with 100% foreign capital investment (of the Japanese SUN-S Group). WSE was established nearly 2 years ago and so far have built 3 factories. WSE has become one of the companies with the largest investment in the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park
area.
In the past 3 days, the workers have gathered in front of the company's main gate to conduct the strike in order to protest the company's policy of changing workers' work hours. The company increased work hours from 4 days per week to 6 days per week (allocation according to work shifts) but only increased workers' wages by 200,000 VND (or about $10 USD).
Company security guards pepper sprayed workers and police beat workers.
This morning, when the workers continued to be on strike for third day, company security guards pepper sprayed the workers right in front of uniformed police when workers demanded to meet with company executives to talk.
WSE director Nguyen Quoc Thang said: "Wages are like that and if you guys don't like it then quit."
A worker on strike (named Thuy) said: "Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thang who is a representative for Wonderful Saigon Electrics company in Vietnam told the workers on strike that: "Wages are like that and if you guys don't like it then quit. All you have to do is submit a resignation letter and we'll deal with it." Other workers also said that the police hit the workers when the workers ask to meet with company directors.
Reportedly, this morning the Worker Union from Binh Duong province -- after 3 days of conducting strike by workers from Wonderful Saigon Electrics at Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park area -- has started talking with the company's leaders, but as of 12pm today, the workers have not seen anything yet from the company's side. The workers locked the doors from the inside in order to request a meeting with WSE directors to explain clearly what they are hoping for.
A worker with the name Luong told the Viet Labor Group (Lao Động Việt ): "Workers from Wonderful Saigon Electrics have worked hard with continuous overtime but only receive 3,600,000 VNĐ (or about $180 USD) a month. How are we supposed to live given current economic inflation? "
We will post more update about this incident as we receive new information.
For a Vietnam with no injustice, no oppression, and no exploitation of labor.
Please contact the Federation of Free Vietnamese Workers (also knowns as: Lao Động Việt) via website: Laodongviet.org or Email: chao@laodongViet.org when your company infringes on your rights and legitimate interests as a person or as a citizen when you work for that company.
