Vietnamese workers in Algeria are on strike, hoping to return home.

Nearly 20 Vietnamese workers, sent to Algeria by Thang Long International Investment and Cooperation Joint Stock Company (Thang Long OSC) to work for a Chinese contractor since September 2014 at the Rouiba construction site, 22km east of the capital Algiers, went on strike from noon on December 9th, and all expressed their desire to return home as soon as possible.

A room for Vietnamese workers in Algeria.

These workers stated that their employer, Zhejiang Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd., deducted their November 2015 wages without explanation.

In addition, Vietnamese workers were exploited by Chinese contractors, subjected to poor living conditions, and many clauses in the labor contracts signed with Thang Long Company did not reflect the actual situation here.

The Chinese side arbitrarily deducted $60 USD from each Vietnamese worker's November 2015 salary.

The workers approached the site manager to demand an explanation for the wage deductions, but received no response from the employer. Furthermore, the Chinese contractor demanded that the workers be paid on a piecework basis.

This is not the first time these workers have gone on strike. Previous strikes were to demand that their employers pay wages on time, but this time, they are demanding to return home as soon as possible.

According to the labor contract for working in Algeria, workers are paid a daily wage of 600 USD per month for 26 working days, with 10 hours of work per day, and are provided with health insurance and food allowance.

However, the workers reported being frequently pressured by their Chinese employers to work on a piecework basis. Since arriving here, they have had to pay the employer $10 USD for food every month and have had their wages deducted unfairly.

Mr. Vu Manh Nguyen (Cua Lo, Nghe An) said that when workers suffer work accidents or fall ill, they have to pay for treatment out of their own pockets. They are not provided with protective equipment, and their food is meager. In case of illness, rain, or if the employer asks them to take time off, their wages and food allowances are deducted.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Phong (Dien Chau, Nghe An) said that all 19 workers here went abroad for work to improve their economic situation. However, with their income since arriving, the highest they've received in a month is 10 million VND, and other months it's only a few million VND. Now, with a further deduction of 60 USD per month, their income will be even lower.

Mr. Tieu Ha Phuong (Thanh Ha, Hai Duong) said that his family had to borrow 33 million VND to pay Thang Long Company, but the company did not provide an invoice and he was not given a copy of the contract.

Mr. Phuong added that Thang Long Company had promised to send the contract to his family, but so far, his family in Hai Duong has not received it.

Mr. Nguyen added that during their recent employment, the workers were frequently verbally abused, threatened with violence, and fired by their Chinese employer. Everyone here is worried that if this situation continues, it could lead to a repeat of the incident where workers at Simco Song Da were assaulted and starved by their Chinese employer, resulting in their return home. Therefore, all the workers here hope to return home as soon as possible.

According to Vietnam+