Workers of Matrix Company Limited (Bac Vinh Industrial Park) continue to strike

(Baonghean.vn) -As reported, on May 21, thousands of workers of Matrix Company Limited (Bac Vinh Industrial Park) organized a strike to demand minimum benefits. But after 1 day, the situation has not calmed down due to the company director's lack of cooperation in resolving the issue. This morning, May 22, 2012, nearly 2,600 workers of Matrix Company Limited continued to strike to demand salary increase, increase in toxic allowance, increase in shift food rations, reduce contracted output, improve the working environment, respect for workers, and increase in bonuses.

The last straw

After a day of strike, nearly 2,600 workers requested to meet the director to express their requests and wishes, but Mr. Liu-Ji-Lin - the company's director still avoided direct confrontation. Representatives of Bac Vinh Industrial Park, Vinh City Police, and the Provincial Labor Federation asked him to meet the workers directly to answer them, but he still refused. Mr. Liu-Ji-Lin requested to meet only a few people representing the workers to discuss, but the workers did not accept this request because in the past, those who represented the workers' rights were all fired.

Workers presented their grievances in front of the company office.

This morning, when the strikers asked the security guards to open the gate so they could enter the company to meet the director but were not satisfied, the workers threw stones and shouted, so the company security guards sprayed pepper spray in the strikers' faces, causing more anger, hundreds of workers rushed in and knocked down the iron gate to enter the company. At this time, the Vinh city police force intervened in time to disperse and asked everyone not to act rashly, to comply with the strike and demonstration laws. After that, all the workers rushed in to request to meet the director but were still not approved by the company's leadership.

Workers' Voice

Ms. Nguyen Thi H, a paint factory worker, said indignantly: We need to meet the director Liu-Ji-Lin to voice our legitimate requests. We need to be respected, we want to work and enjoy the labor we have put in, but the boss has treated us beyond tolerance, constantly raising the production quota, while the salary and bonus have not increased but have been cut in everything. We ask the director to raise the salary and reduce the production quota. Every day, workers have to work 2 hours of overtime (that is, they have to work 10 hours a day), but the salary, including the toxic pay, is 2,400,000 VND. Pregnant workers who ask for maternity leave have their labor contracts terminated and are not paid maternity benefits, and sick leave has their salary deducted.

When the company has no work, they force workers to write resignation letters to avoid paying unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, we have been paying unemployment insurance since we started working for more than 3 years. The mid-shift lunch for workers is only 10,000 VND per person. In this time of inflation, how can we have enough strength to work? The company regularly raises the production quota. When the quota was 300 products, we worked so hard that we didn't have time to stop for water or to go to the bathroom to reach that quota. Now, they continue to increase the quota to 400 products. We try our best to reach 400 products, then they continue to increase the quota to 450 products,... If it continues like this, workers cannot survive because human strength is limited. What's more frustrating is that despite trying so hard, there isn't a word of encouragement from the company's leadership. If they are just a little slow or don't meet the production target, the director will scold them and be ready to fire them immediately, arbitrarily firing workers, against labor laws.

Working in a highly toxic environment, regularly exposed to paint chemicals, but the toxic pay is only 220,000 VND per month (if working enough days). On top of that, workers do not receive the full 220,000 VND, but the company deducts it from the money, forcing workers to buy 8 cartons of milk for 120,000 VND and only pays workers 80,000 VND; although we work enough days and produce enough, but during that month there are holidays or the company lacks work, if we let workers take time off, their diligence bonus will be cut. In the past, some workers lost their motorbikes and bicycles left in the company when going to work, but the company is not responsible for compensation or support, so workers do not feel secure when leaving their vehicles in the company. In the hot summer, the temperature in the factory is above 40 degrees Celsius, but the company limits turning on the fan (because turning on the fan affects the quality of the product, according to the director's explanation).

Provincial Federation of Labor representatives consult workers.

As soon as the incident occurred, the provincial and city authorities were present in time to work with the company leaders and workshop leaders, but Mr. Liu-Ji-Lin - the company director stated that the company leaders did not know anything about the workers' strike, and did not know what the workers' wishes were, because all policies and benefits were fully paid. However, after 2 days of strike, director Liu-Ji-Lin still refused to directly talk to listen to the workers' wishes and legitimate petitions.

The strike has been going on for 2 days and has not yet ended. The authorities have intervened, directly met with the workers to get their opinions, aspirations and wishes, and at the same time reported the workers' opinions to the company's leaders. However, the company's leaders have not cooperated to resolve the issue. It is recommended that the relevant authorities have strong solutions, urgently handle this situation, ensure the rights of the workers, so that they can feel secure in production and stabilize the security and order situation in the area./.

Minh Quang