Factory pledges to compensate enslaved laborers

A paper factory in the central highlands province of Dak Lak promised Thursday to pay 121 laborers whom they had enslaved for six months.

The payment will be completed by this December 12, according to a representative of Dak Lak Paper Materials Factory.

The laborers, all from Phuoc Son District in neighboring Quang Nam Province, were recruited to grow acacias in April for between VND1.8-2.1 million (US$92.4-107.8) a month.

However, according to the laborers, they weren't paid for months and were forced to engage in heavy manual labor without proper meals, adding that they couldn’t contact their families or leave their encampment in Dak R’mang Forest.

Some younger people managed to escape and enlist local agencies to rescue others.

According to the victims, they were introduced to recruiter Do Ngoc Lan, 44, via Ho Van Xia, chief of a hamlet in Phuoc Son District. Lan, meanwhile, told police he was contracted to do the recruitment by the factory.

Also Thursday, the paper factory paid VND20 million ($1,025) to the family of Ho Van Chuong, 32, who died from malaria while working in the forest.

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Dong Nai faces grave labor shortage

Companies in Dong Nai province are faced with a serious labor shortage as orders for the rest of the year are increasing, according to the province's Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The department's initial report shows that more than 30,000 workers are needed in the textiles, footwear and wood processing industries.

For the last three months, Dong Nai-based Binh Tien Co Ltd, which produces footwear, has tried to recruit 2,000 manual laborers, but has only been able to employ a few hundred.

Ngo Hoang Ho, manager of the Vietnam NOK OC Ltd, which produces oil sealant, said most laborers were not qualified. His company employs about 500 new workers each year.

Even though his company must retrain laborers for a three-month period, it still has a high worker attrition rate.

Only 15 employees of a total of a few hundred who are trained remain at the company.

Dang Vu Anh, a human resources representative for Mabuchi Motor Vietnam Co Ltd, said the company had been unable to fill its annual need for 120 employees.

Lam Duy Tin, the department's deputy head, said that low salaries were also to blame.

In addition, because many industrial parks have been built in provinces and cities, there are too many companies competing for employees.

"If companies in Dong Nai province do not improve working conditions as well as salaries and allowance policies, recruitment will remain difficult," Tin said.

Currently, Dong Nai province has more than 1,000 foreign-direct investment projects, attracting nearly 400,000 laborers.

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Dong Nai faces grave labor shortage

Companies in Dong Nai province are faced with a serious labor shortage as orders for the rest of the year are increasing, according to the province's Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The department's initial report shows that more than 30,000 workers are needed in the textiles, footwear and wood processing industries.

For the last three months, Dong Nai-based Binh Tien Co Ltd, which produces footwear, has tried to recruit 2,000 manual laborers, but has only been able to employ a few hundred.

Ngo Hoang Ho, manager of the Vietnam NOK OC Ltd, which produces oil sealant, said most laborers were not qualified. His company employs about 500 new workers each year.

Even though his company must retrain laborers for a three-month period, it still has a high worker attrition rate.

Only 15 employees of a total of a few hundred who are trained remain at the company.

Dang Vu Anh, a human resources representative for Mabuchi Motor Vietnam Co Ltd, said the company had been unable to fill its annual need for 120 employees.

Lam Duy Tin, the department's deputy head, said that low salaries were also to blame.

In addition, because many industrial parks have been built in provinces and cities, there are too many companies competing for employees.

"If companies in Dong Nai province do not improve working conditions as well as salaries and allowance policies, recruitment will remain difficult," Tin said.

Currently, Dong Nai province has more than 1,000 foreign-direct investment projects, attracting nearly 400,000 laborers.

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• Dong Nai faces grave labour shortage as orders mount
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