Jessica Otey/January 23, 2008/3:56 pm/ Labor Problems
On January 18th, eighteen employees of Tasko-Vina Ltd. Company in Ho Chi Minh fainted at work due to exhaustion. They were then carried to the hospital for immediate treatment by fellow employees. It has been said that two foreman saw some of the employees faint and left them unattended. Unfortunately this was not the first time that such an event occurred. The company has a record of treating its employees unfairly and four cases of workers fainting had already been reported.
On January 17th the company forced it workers to put in overtime while not informing them that they had to do so. The company simply locked the doors at 8:30 pm when it was time for everyone to leave. Some of the workers were even required to stay until 1 am in the morning. Those who refused to work late into the night were told that they would lose their jobs if they did not stay.
In addition to this, the employees are only allowed to use the bathroom during certain periods of the day. One woman was fired for using the bathroom after she was refused a bathroom break from her foreman. Other workers are complaining of hunger saying that the food served in the plant is inedible. The company has stopped allowing its workers to leave for lunch. To cut costs they are requiring their workers to eat in the factory’s canteen.
This is simply outrageous. When I first read this article, I could not believe what I was reading. It sounds ridiculous to make employees work that much overtime without telling them that they must do so. It’s no wonder employees are passing out after having to work for such a long period of time under such harsh conditions. It seems that the workers would try to organize a strike.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2008/01/765118/
6 comments:
It seems absurd that companies are able to get away with things like that. No human should be denied the right to use the bathroom, or eat where they choose. I thought we were past the days when people were controlled like that. It seems to me like an act of slavery. These people have no choice but to survive in those conditions because for most it is probably the only opportunity that they have and the companies know it. That is probably why they don't set up a strike, the company could probably find someone else to do the work. I think it's terrible that things like this are still happening.
This is insane! I was in complete shock as I read this post. No one, no matter who they are should be allowed to treat another human being that way. I don't understand why this is allowed to happen.
These reports of inhumane conditions are always really upsetting. As Americans we like to think everyone has a chance to work at a job they love. And while that is obviously not true for some, we have the opportunities for achieving our goals. Unfortunately, in most developing countries people get thrown into a factory either because the generations before them did it or there is no other way to feed their families. And while it's really hard to read about abuse and neglect of humans, how will it ever change unless people speak up about it. To force people to work all day it horrible and not care for them in times of extreme exhaustion is heartbreaking. I just hope the workers look out for each other and have someone to lean on.
This is appalling. I can't believe that any employer in any country would treat their workers this way. No one should ever have to live through this. This is just proof that outsourcing labor is just increasing incidences like this because it forces these people to work for these multi billion dollar transnational companies and be exploited because the company can do so just because they have the money.
In regards to "why don't they organize":
They have virtually no worker rights in this area. This is partially due to corporations coming in and persuading political leaders to twist the laws in their favor to provide incentive for them to arrive, bringing the jobs with them. It is also caused by a ready and willing supply of laborers. If one shift of 40 workers decides conditions are bad and strike, it doesn't really phase the company. They have 40 more people waiting to step in and take the job.
I also think this is outrageous. I guess in America we take things for granted. I could never imagine being forced to work, or not being allowed to go to the bathroom as needed. That is simply cruel and unacceptable. The owners of that company should be ashamed.
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