3,600 in HCMC ask for jobless benefits

Some 3,600 employees in HCMC have asked for jobless benefits this month, said the city’s Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Le Thanh Tam, director of the department, told the Daily on Tuesday about 1,500 of these people had received cash from the unemployment insurance fund.         

Most of the registered jobless want to receive money just in time Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, he said.

Last year the city extended over VND200 billion in unemployment benefits to around 60,000 people.

The unemployment insurance fund for workers has been in place since early last year and is mostly financed by workers’ salaries, contributions by employers and the state budget.

Hanoi policemen jailed for stealing guns

Hanoi People’s Court on Friday sentenced two police officers to a combined 17 years imprisonment for stealing and selling state-owned guns.

Le Manh Thang, former sub-lieutenant of Phu Thuong Ward Police Office, and Do Huu Tam, former officer of Giap Bat Ward Police Office, got 9 and 8 years respectively.

Thang and Tam, both 25, were charged with “illegally appropriating, trading and storing military weapons.”

Sixteen others involved in the trading of the weapons were sentenced between 13 months to 7 years in jail.

The Hanoi police on July 7, 2009 were informed that 11 guns, 78 bullets and five tear gas canisters were missing from the Phu Thuong Ward Police Office.

After three months’ investigation, police arrested a man who was keeping one of the guns. Based on his testimony, they busted the ring that was storing and trading the weapons.

The police found out Thang and Tam were kingpins of the ring.

Thang had used a drilling device to break the gun-keeping box while he was on duty in his office, stealing the weapons, according to the police.

He then asked Tam to keep the weapons before managing to sell them.

They sold 10 guns for a total VND88 million (US$4,500). Tam brought the remaining gun with him but then lost it.

Thang and Tam have been dismissed. Several other police officers were disciplined after the incident.

Hanoi fire spreads panic

On Friday afternoon at 6:30 p.m, a fire broke out from a house located at 211B in Hue Street in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung district and spread to two quarters in the area.

After 2 fire trucks were mobilized to the site, it was put under control in 30 minutes.

However, the fire broke out immediately again because the place is a warehouse with many helmets and motorcycle tools.

Afterwards the fire spread to house at No 38 at Yen Bai 1 Street.

Residents chaotically took important possessions out their house.

After over one hour, the fire was distinguished completely. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Train hits two crossing railway tracks, one dies

A woman died and a man was seriously injured after being hit by an oncoming train in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue Friday.

Nguyen Van Chung, 24, of Huong Tra District was driving Dang Thi Lan Phuong on his motorcycle across the railroad track when the bike was hit by the SE3 train.

Phuong died on the spot while Chung and the bike were thrown out. Chung was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The train stopped for some 20 minutes after the accident.

Eyewitnesses said they screamed warnings to Chung but he could not hear them and still crossed the track.

There was a warning sign at the site of the accident but there were no railway officers there.

Vietnamese professor named as ABI academician

Prof. Dr. Tran Van Truong, President of the Vietnam Odonto –Stomatology Association, has been elected as an Academician by the American Biographical Institute (ABI).

Truong, who once held the positions of Director of the National Institute of Odonto-Stomatology and Rector of the Odonto-Stomatology University, was honoured for his outstanding scientific achievements and contributions to the community. $0 $0 He trained a lot of experts both in and outside the country, and compiled many books, textbooks and research projects on odonto-stomatology in Vietnamese and foreign languages. $0 $0 The professor has worked with nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to organise public dental health and school dental health programmes, providing free operations and treatment for millions of people and children across Vietnam. $0 $0 Truong is now a member of several international organisations, including the World Dental Federation (FDI), the American Dental Institute (ADI), and the Council of International Dental Collaboration of the Mekong region (DCMR).

One more locality infected with A/H1N1 virus

The A/H1N1 flu has claimed 30 lives in four localities so far, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An and Lang Son, according to statistics from the Department of Preventive Medicine and the Environment, under the Ministry of Health.

The latest person to contract the A/H1N1 flu is a 19-year-old man in Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son City. On January 25, the patient showed symptoms of fever and coughing, so he was taken to Bach Mai Hospital and tested for the A/H1N1 virus.

Immediately after the disease recurred in the province, Lang Son’s Department of Health directed healthcare centres to clean environment to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Hospitals were assigned to learn more about epidemic prevention, and particularly watch pregnant women and children closely because they are the most vulnerable to the A/H1N1 virus.

City firms prepare incentives to lure tired workers back to the job

HCM City-based firms will need nearly 40,000 new workers in February after Tet, especially to make up for the high attrition, according to the HCM City Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information.

Tran Anh Tuan, the centre's deputy head, said companies in the textile, footwear, electricity, telecom, machinery, metallurgy, and marketing industries would be the worst hit by resignations after the New Year Festival in early February as workers stay back in their hometowns or find other jobs.

The demand for personnel with college and university degrees will also increase, especially in the fields of IT, HR, and construction.

To cope with the usual shortage of workers before and after Tet, he said it was important to offer attractive salaries and perks to retain personnel.

Many companies did offer their workers welfare policies.

Nissei Electric Viet Nam Co Ltd provided free bus tickets to employees from other provinces.

Sprinta Viet Nam Garment Co Ltd in Thu Duc District's Linh Trung Export Processing Zone No 2 paid its employees fuel allowance and house rent besides bonuses of VND600,000 for Liberation Day (April 30) and National Independence Day (September 2). For Tet, it gave them gifts.

Pham Thi My Hanh, HR chief at Nobland Viet Nam Garment Co Ltd, said her company gave allowances to employees for diligence, seniority, exceeding targets, and having children aged under six.

Everyone also got a month's salary as bonus, she added.

Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper said some companies offered cash rewards of VND100,000-VND700,000 to employees who introduce others.

Truong Thi Tuyet Van, head of personnel at Furukawa Automotive Parts Viet Nam, Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, said her company paid VND400,000 to any worker introducing another.

Nevertheless, it still faced a labour shortage, she added.

Many companies have relaxed qualifications for workers, like years of schooling and age.

Terratex Viet Nam Co Ltd based in the Tan Thoi Hiep Industrial Park in District 9 has no minimum requirements and even offers to provide training to unskilled workers.

A company HR official said it would be difficult to find people if the company stipulates that workers should be high school graduates or be below a certain age.

PV