2,500 Vietnamese workers go on strike to protest Chinese returning to work

Thousands of workers at JY Ha Nam Company go on strike to protest against allowing Chinese experts to return to work, February 17, 2020. Photo courtesy of Ha Nam Online Newspaper.

The strike began last Saturday at JY Ha Nam Company in Thanh Liem District, which makes toys and games, with workers gathering outside the gate and warning the company not to allow Chinese experts to return to work later this month for fear they will bring back the new coronavirus.

The strike continued on Monday, Ha Nam authorities said.

Bui Trong Quynh, head of the district Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said the company put up on its bulletin board last week that the Chinese experts and engineers would resume work.

An unidentified worker then posted a protest notice and threatened every worker would quit if the company allowed the Chinese back.

The company fired the worker who posted the notice.

Thanh Liem District officials met with the workers on Monday to ensure quarantine procedures would be followed for the Chinese personnel.

14 out of 45 Chinese workers returned to the company from January 29 and was placed under quarantine in accordance with the labor ministry’s regulations. Till now, they have passed the quarantine period and are eligible to resume work, the authorities said.

The remaining Chinese workers will only be allowed to resume work if they meet medical requirements and entry regulations for those coming from epidemic-stricken areas, authorities affirmed.

A labor ministry report says 5,112 Chinese workers returning to work in Vietnam after the Lunar New Year holiday have been quarantined.

Vietnam has reported 16 Covid-19 infections, 11 of them have been declared healthy and discharged from hospital.

As of Wednesday, the global death toll has climbed to 2,009 and confirmed infections topped 75,000. Nearly 15,000 patients have recovered.