Pouchen Vietnam is a 100% Taiwanese-invested firm based on National Highway 1K, Hoa An Commune, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai province.
Up to 17,000 workers among the 21,600 employees of the business took part in the strike, according to an estimate obtained by Lao Dong newspaper.
Tens of thousands of Pouchen Co. workers have been simultaneously out on strike. Photo: Facebook.
The protest was triggered by some of the company’s regulations concerningsalary and bonus subtraction considered to be too harsh. Specifically, theemployees here are classified into three groups: A, B and C. Accordingly, one will be subtracted 13 points if he’s absent without leave. Absent with leave, he will be subtracted 3 points .
A worker, if subtraced 13 points, will be classified into “Group C”; that is, all the subsidies and monthly or year-end bonuses will be cut. This makes their already low income suffer even more.
The strike on the 2nd day, 26 Feb. 2016. Photo: Facebook.
Waiving the role of Labor Federation
Right after the event broke out, Labor Federation officials of Bien Hoa City arrived to intervene and prevent the strike.
However, these efforts proved fruitless. The day after, 26 Feb. 2016, information from social media networks showed that the strike went on.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc An, chairwoman of Bien Hoa City’s Labor Federation, is quoted by Lao Dong newspaper as saying that the worker classification of A, B and C “is a major policy of Pouchen Vietnam”, and it has been applied at many big companies in Dong Nai province.
Faced with the workers’ fierce opposition, the Labor Federation has negotiated with the company to temporarily stop piloting the above policy .
“The authorities concerned have negotiated with the company and decided to temporarily stop the new policy of classification, but the workers have not apporoved it,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc An.
In the meantime, Doan Van Day, vice-chairman of Dong Nai’s Labor Federation admitted that the negotiation and talks “have not reached a concensus” as most workers have not been willing to share their view.
“We’re actively negotiating with the company management and, at the same time, holding talks with the workers, but so far no agreement has been reached,” said Mr. Day, as quoted by Lao Dong newspaper.
The statement above shows the inefficiency of the Labor Federation in dealing with the differences between the workers and the employers.
To be more exact, the workers at Pouchen Co. have officially waived the representative role of the Labor Federation in terms of negotiation with the company management. This explains why the strike continued on the second day in a row.
Given the recent developments of the movement of defending workers’ interests, of which VietLabor Federation is a typical example, the year 2016 isexpected to witness numerous events of workers nationwide in the struggle for their legitimate interests.
