Employees of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company were shocked by salary deductions for holidays.

In the complaint about "Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company forcing employees to work illegally", Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company employees informed that on the recent Hung King's Commemoration Day (April 14, 2019), they still had to work and were not allowed to take a day off. At the same time, they said that they would not be allowed to take a day off on the upcoming Victory Day, April 30, and International Labor Day, May 1.

“On April 12, 2019, General Director Hoang Van Hai signed Notice No. 365/QD-CTCN-TC on the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day holiday for employees. According to the explanation of Assistant General Director Le Dinh Hoan, this is the 2019 salary plan, the Company has included all regimes such as holidays, Tet, shift meals, telephone, business travel expenses and gasoline... Therefore, all officers and employees must comply" - wrote an employee of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company.

Also in the petition, the employee of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company cited Section 2, Article 115 on Holidays and Tet of the 2012 Labor Code to prove the Company's wrongdoings. Because the Labor Code stipulates that employees are entitled to take time off work and receive full pay on holidays and Tet. These are the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, April 30 Victory Day, May 1 International Labor Day, September 2 National Day... In case an employee has to work on a holiday, he/she is entitled to overtime pay according to Article 97 of the Labor Code, which stipulates that overtime pay is at least 300%, not including holiday pay and paid leave for employees receiving daily wages.

Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company. Photo: Nhat Lan.

On April 12, 2019, Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company issued Notice No. 365/QD-CTCN-TC. This Notice stated the following: “Due to the large amount of work currently being done by the Company, the Company has arranged for all employees to work on the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, March 10 of the lunar calendar (April 14, 2019). The salary of employees working on holidays is implemented according to the Company's 2019 production and business plan.

Anyone who does not agree to work according to the company's arrangement must write a resignation letter to the Department Head. The Department Head must send it to the Personnel Department before 3:00 p.m. on April 13, 2019. The Personnel Department must report to the General Director before 5:00 p.m. on April 13, 2019.

Asked about the "2019 business production plan of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company", an employee of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company said "the company has not yet organized a meeting for employees to inform and agree on this content".

Workers of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company were indignant: “This action of the company is a violation of the law. We are forced to work because otherwise our wages will be deducted. However, when we work, we are not entitled to overtime pay on holidays as prescribed. We request that the press and trade unions intervene so that workers of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company are guaranteed their legal and legitimate rights and interests…”.

A responsible official of the Provincial Labor Federation confirmed to Nghe An Newspaper reporter that the Provincial Labor Federation has received the petition from the workers of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company. Currently, the Provincial Labor Federation has forwarded the petition to the Construction Industry Union for settlement according to its authority.