Strikers return to work
On March 26, thousands of Vietnamese workers at the Taiwanese-owned Pou Yuen Company, a shoe and garment company, started a strike to oppose a new rule on collecting social insurance.
The law originally stated that workers are entitled to a lump sum of social insurance lump 12 months after resigning from a job. However, the revised law, completed in 2014 and expected to take effect in 2016, states that workers can only earn a payment when they reach retirement age -- 60 for men and 55 for women.
Most of the workers are from rural areas so they only work seasonally and collect a big single payment when they return to their hometown. The workers argued that they could not work or wait without any payment until they reach retirement age.
During the regular government meeting on April 1, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the General Confederation of Labour and HCM City authorities proposed to revise the law in accordance with labours' wishes.
The government agreed to provide two options -- workers can claim social insurance lump sum after resigning a job, or continue contributing to the social system to receive a pension when they reach retirement age.
Nguyen Van Hai, deputy head of Binh Tan District Labour Union, said they announced the decisions publicly last night.
The workers said they were pleased their voices had been heard and the government will propose to the National Assembly to revise the law during the oncoming NA session on May 20.
