Businesses hunting for labourers

VietNamNet Bridge – Dong Nai, a big labour market in Vietnam with many industrial zones and workshops, needs some 55,000 workers for 2009, but companies have been able to employ 25,000 labourers only.

Lacking blue-collar workers

Many companies are seeking labourers

Banderoles recruiting labourers are hung over many T-junctions and crossroads in Bien Hoa city in Dong Nai these days. Most companies it seems need several hundred or even several thousand labourers.

The companies which plan to recruit workers now are mostly garment, footwear, electronics and woodwork companies which cut their labour forces sharply in 2008. However, most of the companies still cannot recruit enough blue-collar workers.

Viet Tuong Electronics Company in Bien Hoa 2 Industrial Zone is trying to recruit 300 labourers, offering the relatively attractive salary of 1.4-2.2 million dong a month. However, Pham Thi Anh Thi, Personnel Manager of Viet Tuong, said that the company has just recruited five percent of the number needed since it began the recruitment campaign in early March.

Olympus Company in Long Thanh Industrial Zone, specialising in assembling electronics products, is recruiting 1,000 workers, offering the basic salary of 1.7 million dong. However, it also cannot find workers nowadays.

Even garment companies, which are thought to be able to recruit labourers easily, also cannot recruit labourers nowadays.

Le Thi Lua, in charge of recruiting labourers of Dong Nai Garment Company, complained that though the company has offered attractive conditions for labourers, it has been able to get only 800 workers so far this year. Meanwhile, only a half of the 800 workers have still been working there since their probation periods ended.

Labourers flattered

Dao Ngoc Hoang, Head of the Labour Policies Division under the Dong Nai Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department, said that of 70 companies which laid off workers, 10 ones have recovered production and recruited labourers again. The Dong Nai Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department is working with the Nghe An counterpart department on providing workers for Dong Nai. It is expected that the cooperation programme will begin in July. “Dong Nai needs 20,000 labourers, but 1,000 labourers would also be a success,” Hoang said.

As companies have been warned about the lack of blue-collar workers, they have been trying to retain labourers.

S.Y Company originally submitted to the Dong Nai Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department a plan to lay off 1,000 labourers.

However, though facing difficulties, it opted not to lay off any. It has been trying to cut working hours in order to maintain jobs for all workers.

In the first six months of the year, Dong Nai province saw 7,000 workers laid off, but they then were recruited by other companies. Employers are now trying to attract labourers by offering attractive working conditions. Besides monthly salaries, labourers can also enjoy other privileges. Some companies have advertised that labourers can work in workshops with air-conditioners in non-toxic environments. Moreover, the companies also offer free accommodations.

VietNamNet/TP