VietNamNet Bridge – A dialogue has been held between a working group of the southern Dong Nai Province’s People’s Committee and hundreds of workers of a company whose managers have fled the country.

Workers of the South Korean textile company KL Texwell Vina in Dong Nai Province on Wednesday were advised by local authorities on how to terminate labour contracts as their employer failed to pay them salary and year-end bonus. — VNA/VNS Photo Le Xuan

Unemployment insurance, maternity period for pregnant women and the timeframe in which the workers of KL Texwell Vina will receive the remaining 50 per cent of their salary for January were some of the problems discussed.

Issues related to closing of social insurance books and solutions of competent agencies to help old and pregnant workers find new jobs were also discussed on Wednesday.

Representatives of Dong Nai Province Social Insurance told the workers that the maternity period has been solved for 20 pregnant workers of the company, with a total amount of social premium of over VND630 million (US$27,700).

KL Texwell Vina is a South Korea-invested textile and garment manufacturer in the Bau Xeo Industrial Park, Trang Bom District. 

Earlier, on February 9, workers of KL Texwell Vina gathered to demand the payment of their January salary, which amounts to a total of some VND13.7 billion ($604,170). However, the concerned departments at the company said late on February 8, their director-general, together with 11 executives, had left for South Korea.

Over the past few days, officials from the insurance sector have been visiting the workers of the company to address problems relating to social insurance to ensure the legitimate rights of the remaining labourers.

According to Nguyen Thi Nhu Y, vice chairman of Dong Nai Province’s Confederation of Labour, workers of KL Texwell Vina are facing a lot of difficulties.

She said the confederation was keeping a count of the number of pregnant and old workers and was trying to convince enterprises in the province to take them in. So far, 15 enterprises have agreed to employ the workers with a stable income, she said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the working group visited the company to solve the problems of employees.

The group asked the workers to compile designation letters and gave advice on how to terminate labour contracts and close social insurance books.

The Trade Union Legal Consultancy Centre under the Dong Nai Province’s Labour Confederation has initiated proceedings to file lawsuits against KL Texwell Vina so that its machinery and other assets could be sold off to pay for the workers’ salaries and supporting polices.

Previously, the People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province has decided to use its own budget to pay for the salary of 2,000 workers.

On February 12, each worker received 50 per cent of their January salary that KL Texwell Vina owes. They also received another VND600,000 (US$26.4) as support from the Viet Nam General Labour Confederation, the provincial labour confederation and Fatherland Front Committee.

KL Texwell Vina is a 100 per cent South Korean-owned company. It registered with Vietnamese authorities in December 2015, with a charter capital of VND100 billion ($4.4 billion), and hired 1,928 employees.

Aside from the late payment of salary, the company has also reportedly failed to pay social insurance for its employees since August last year, which amounts to more than VND17.5 billion ($771,750). 

Source: VNS