VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities in the southern province of Dong Nai on February 11 used their own budget to pay the salary and Lunar New Year (Tet) bonus for two thousand 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 February 11 received advances from local authorities as their employer failed to pay them salary and year-end bonus. — VNA/VNS Photos Sy Tuyen

On the morning of February 11, representatives from Dong Nai Labour Federation and the provincial labour and social affairs department came to the South Korea-invested textile and garment manufacturer KL Texwell Vina based in Bau Xeo Industrial Park, Trang Bom District to organise payments.

Vietnam News Agency reported that from early morning, nearly 2,000 workers of the company lined up under tight security, waiting for their turn.

Each worker received 50 per cent of their January salary that KL Texwell Vina owes. They would also receive another VND600,000 (US$26.4) as support from local labour agencies on the morning of February 12.

With just four days until Tet, the company’s workers were relieved as they now at least have some money to cover expenses for the Lunar New Year holiday. Many said they were just about to catch the bus to return to their hometowns.

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

KL Texwell Vina is a 100 per cent South Korean-owned company. It registered with Vietnamese authorities in December 2015, with charter capital of VND100 billion ($4.4 billion) and hiring 1928 employees.

Aside from the late salary payment, the company has also reportedly failed to pay social insurance for their employees since last year’s August, which now totals upwards of VND17.5 billion ($771,750).

Lawyers have suggested Dong Nai authorities quickly file a lawsuit for the court to start bankruptcy procedures against the company so that its machinery and other assets could be valued and sold to pay the workers’ salaries and bonuses.

Also on February 11, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded the quick response from Dong Nai People’s Committee and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour.  

Workers of the South Korean textile company KL Texwell Vina in Dong Nai Province on February 11 wait for their turn to receive advances from local authorities as their employer failed to pay them salary and year-end bonus.

Source: VNS