Protecting the rights of Vietnamese guest workers
14:01, 2014/08/08
Vietnamese guest workers face a host of challenges related to dangerous living conditions, working conditions, exploitive employers, assault, and sexual abuse.
More than 90% of workers cheated one time
Dinh Van Chenh from Quy Mang hamlet, Son Chung village, Quang Ngai province was determined to prosper through working overseas. However, broke and downtrodden he was forced to return home after less than one year working in Malaysia.
Chenh says before signing a work contract, the employment agency made substantial promises but never delivered on any of them. It turned out he had to work long strenuous hours at a very low salary (VND3 million per month), which barely covered his accommodation fee.
After working less than a year, the Malaysian company he worked for filed for bankruptcy protection and he was forced to return home. Now he is awash in debt and doing everything he can to repay bank loans he racked up while working in Malaysia.
Jo Dech Crich’s case is even more egregious. Her son, Clau Hor, registered to work overseas with the hope that her family could escape poverty and hunger. After less than one year working in Malaysia, Clau Hor returned home sick. Bemused by the burden of VND23 million of debt he incurred as a result of his employment, Hor got drunk one day and killed himself.
The two stories are typical of the experiences guest workers encounter and were told at the recent seminar on guest labourers.
Attendees at the seminar heard speakers explain that one of the primary reasons labourers find themselves in these abhorrent situations is lack of information and understanding.
Legal Aid Association for the Poor Chairwoman Ta Thi Minh Ly, says a survey on labourers working abroad in some central and northern provinces showed workers had little or no knowledge on issues related to bank loans incurred in connection with guest worker employment. They also do not have a basic understanding of labour contracts.
A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women, and Adolescents (CSAGA) reported that around 23.5% of labourers did not get full information about their jobs, 24.14% did not understand the real fees and compensation cost and almost all – 93.56% – were cheated at least one time during their work overseas.
Any policy of guest workers?
International Labour Organisation (ILO) Vietnam Country Director Gyorgy Sziraczki says migrant workers have contributed remarkably to the national economic development by sending their money to the homeland but they receive a little legal assistance to protect their rights.
ILO representative Nguyen Mai Thuy says Vietnam is one of six countries – Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam – that have implemented a safe labour export triangle project.
This is tripartite action for the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers in the ASEAN region (ASEAN TRIANGLE project) aiming to significantly reduce the exploitation of labour migrants in the region through increased legal assistance and safe migration and improved labour protection.
According to ILO, a good integration policy should greatly assist Vietnam improve productivity, but, the country should also take into consideration the fact that a large number of qualified workers will leave for other countries in favour of a higher salary.
A loosening of restrictions on migration may provide benefits for workers, however, more importantly they must be provided with complete and accurate information about policies, fees and their interests to protect themselves. Most importantly, they need access to quality legal assistance to ensure their rights are adequately protected.
Chenh says before signing a work contract, the employment agency made substantial promises but never delivered on any of them. It turned out he had to work long strenuous hours at a very low salary (VND3 million per month), which barely covered his accommodation fee.
After working less than a year, the Malaysian company he worked for filed for bankruptcy protection and he was forced to return home. Now he is awash in debt and doing everything he can to repay bank loans he racked up while working in Malaysia.
Jo Dech Crich’s case is even more egregious. Her son, Clau Hor, registered to work overseas with the hope that her family could escape poverty and hunger. After less than one year working in Malaysia, Clau Hor returned home sick. Bemused by the burden of VND23 million of debt he incurred as a result of his employment, Hor got drunk one day and killed himself.
The two stories are typical of the experiences guest workers encounter and were told at the recent seminar on guest labourers.
Attendees at the seminar heard speakers explain that one of the primary reasons labourers find themselves in these abhorrent situations is lack of information and understanding.
Legal Aid Association for the Poor Chairwoman Ta Thi Minh Ly, says a survey on labourers working abroad in some central and northern provinces showed workers had little or no knowledge on issues related to bank loans incurred in connection with guest worker employment. They also do not have a basic understanding of labour contracts.
A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women, and Adolescents (CSAGA) reported that around 23.5% of labourers did not get full information about their jobs, 24.14% did not understand the real fees and compensation cost and almost all – 93.56% – were cheated at least one time during their work overseas.
Any policy of guest workers?
International Labour Organisation (ILO) Vietnam Country Director Gyorgy Sziraczki says migrant workers have contributed remarkably to the national economic development by sending their money to the homeland but they receive a little legal assistance to protect their rights.
ILO representative Nguyen Mai Thuy says Vietnam is one of six countries – Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam – that have implemented a safe labour export triangle project.
This is tripartite action for the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers in the ASEAN region (ASEAN TRIANGLE project) aiming to significantly reduce the exploitation of labour migrants in the region through increased legal assistance and safe migration and improved labour protection.
According to ILO, a good integration policy should greatly assist Vietnam improve productivity, but, the country should also take into consideration the fact that a large number of qualified workers will leave for other countries in favour of a higher salary.
A loosening of restrictions on migration may provide benefits for workers, however, more importantly they must be provided with complete and accurate information about policies, fees and their interests to protect themselves. Most importantly, they need access to quality legal assistance to ensure their rights are adequately protected.
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