Concerns about the lives of industrial park workers
The establishment and development of industrial zones in the province has created a very potential and effective channel to attract labor, contributing significantly to solving employment for local workers. However, the lives of the labor force in industrial zones are being "left open", low income, not enjoying the prescribed regimes, leading to strikes, protests...
The establishment and development of industrial zones in the province has created a very potential and effective channel to attract labor, contributing significantly to solving employment for local workers. However, the lives of the labor force in industrial zones are being "left open", low income, not enjoying the prescribed regimes, leading to strikes, protests...
Currently, the whole province has 6,050 workers working in 4 industrial parks (IPs): Bac Vinh, Nam Cam, Hoang Mai, Dong Hoi. The average monthly income (including salary and bonus) of workers is from 1.3 million VND to 1.9 million VND/month. With this income, only local workers can ensure their minimum living needs, while migrant workers have a lot of difficulties because they have to cover many other expenses such as housing rent, electricity, water, etc.
According to a report from the Provincial Federation of Labor, currently, over 90% of workers in Nghe An's industrial parks still have to rent accommodation, with an average area of 5m2/person. The quality of rental housing, sanitation, water, and electricity conditions do not meet requirements. Cultural and spiritual life is still limited due to many different reasons.
Workers of Trung Lai gas lighter manufacturing company
guaranteed by collective bargaining
Ms. Le Thi Huong, from Nghia Dan, a worker at Matrix Teddy Bear Manufacturing Company (Bac Vinh Industrial Park) said: "Without a degree, and having nothing to do in my hometown, I applied to work at the Company with the hope of having a stable job and saving a little capital to build a family in the future. But with my current income (approximately 1.2 million VND/month), minus the cost of renting a room, food, and electricity and water, it's almost even. There are months when I don't work overtime, I have to go back to my hometown to bring vegetables and rice to make ends meet..." For single people like Ms. Huong, it's still okay, but for workers with families, it's even harder. Both husband and wife are workers, and their monthly income (including overtime and overtime) is at most 3-3.5 million VND, minus the cost of rent, food, and living expenses. They have to be very frugal to have enough money to buy milk for their children.
Many people, whose income is not enough to cover expenses, have to send their 1-year-old children back to their hometowns for their grandparents to take care of... In addition, many companies and businesses do not ensure the rights of their workers: workers are owed wages, do not have social insurance, and the leave and holiday allowances are not fair... which has "ignited" strikes and protests that have taken place in recent times.
Faced with that situation, in 2007, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 110/2007/QD-UBND on "Approving the housing development program in the province until 2010 and orientation to 2020", including content on investment in building houses for workers.
Up to now, TECCO Investment Company has invested in building 4 housing areas for workers to buy or rent with 140 apartments; at Bac Vinh Industrial Park, Nghe An Construction Equipment and Materials Joint Stock Company has built 12 apartments for workers to rent; Nam Cam Industrial Park has 4 units building accommodation areas for workers (including Con Heo Vang Company Limited; Asia Company Limited, Viet Trung Wood Processing Company Limited and Viglacera Company). Although it has not yet met all the housing needs of workers, with the efforts of companies and enterprises, the housing policy for workers has somewhat "cooled down".
In order to ensure the rights of workers and effectively implement Directive No. 22/CT-TW dated June 5, 2008 of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening leadership and direction in building harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations in enterprises, in recent times, many companies and enterprises in the province have signed collective labor agreements. Up to now, the whole province has 336 enterprises that have established trade unions and in fact, 209 enterprises have signed collective labor agreements with employees, accounting for 62%.
Ms. Truong Thi Cam Thanh, Chairwoman of the Trade Union of Trung Lai Gas Lighter Manufacturing Company (Bac Vinh Industrial Park) said: "Starting in 2011, the Company signed a collective labor agreement with workers, according to which all regimes, rights and obligations between the parties involved were agreed upon and signed, serving as a legal basis for the trade union to protect the rights of workers.
Currently, the company has 700 employees, with an average monthly income of 2.4-3.2 million/person/month; workers work in a healthy environment, ensuring occupational safety and hygiene. In addition, the company also offers a reasonable reward system, encouraging workers to increase productivity and work efficiency: diligence bonus; standard bonus; overtime allowance, housing allowance; fuel allowance; childcare allowance..."
However, there are not many businesses that take good care of workers' lives like Trung Lai Gas Lighter Manufacturing Company Limited. Most workers working in industrial zones have to endure many disadvantages: low income; high living costs, working in a toxic environment, unsatisfactory benefits...
The workforce plays an important role in the industrialization and modernization process, contributing to the economic restructuring of the locality. Therefore, the province, relevant departments and branches, and business owners need to pay due attention to help them feel secure in their work and stay with the business for a long time.
Thanh Phuc
