Seasonal workers reflect being forced to quit their jobs
The incident happened in Bau Bang commune, Ho Chi Minh City, hundreds of seasonal workers are worried when businesses require them to switch to official labor to pay the 13th month salary. Reflecting to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. N.V.T (temporary worker working at Ampacs International Co., Ltd. in Bau Bang industrial park, Bau Bang commune, Ho Chi Minh City) said that initially the company promised to pay the 13th month salary by Tet to have more income to cover living expenses. However, near the 13th month salary payment period, the company requested seasonal workers to agree to officially work to receive the 13th month bonus. If they do not officially work, they should write a resignation letter and will not receive the 13th month bonus.
The incident makes seasonal workers worried about losing their jobs as the 2026 Lunar New Year is approaching. In addition, workers will also lose the right to the 13th month bonus. This is the source of income that workers (NLĐ) long for throughout the year of hard work.
We have to persevere and maintain work discipline for a long time. During Tet, goods and services are expensive, and we have to spend a lot. Therefore, we look forward to receiving an additional 13th month bonus to have money to go home and cover living expenses. However, if the company sets such conditions, it is no different from forcing workers to quit their jobs to cut off benefits" - Mr. N.V.T shared.
Will pay the 13th month salary
After receiving feedback from employees, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters worked with Ms. Tran Thi My Nhien - assistant to the Chairman of the Company and Chairman of the Trade Union of Ampacs International Co., Ltd.
According to Ms. Tran Thi My Nhien, Ampacs International Co., Ltd. affirmed that there is no policy of forcing employees to quit their jobs to evade responsibility for paying regimes and policies and explained that the company is currently using over 2,500 official employees and over 1,600 seasonal employees through supply units. The company wishes to better ensure the rights of employees, so it is gradually converting seasonal employees to official employees. The company and the grassroots trade union have propagated and 838 employees agreed to convert to official labor contracts, 253 employees did not agree to convert, and the rest have no response.
Regarding the 13th month bonus, the company pays to all employees who have signed official contracts and have met the conditions according to the company's regulations. For employees who are not paid the 13th month bonus, the reason stems from the employee not agreeing to sign an official labor contract with the company. At this time, direct labor relations are established with the employee who is the supplier. In addition, according to internal regulations, employees need to work until February 13th to be eligible for consideration for bonuses. Because employees do not continue to work until the prescribed time, they are not eligible for consideration for the 13th month bonus.
Trade union levels in Ho Chi Minh City have worked and proposed that businesses consider and share with workers, because after all, workers have worked for the whole year of 2025. In addition, it is proposed that grassroots trade unions continue to dialogue and propose to businesses to continue building harmonious and stable labor relations.
As a result, Ampacs International Co., Ltd. agreed to pay the 13th month bonus to seasonal workers. Ms. Tran Thi My Nhien - assistant to the Company's Chairman and Chairwoman of the Grassroots Trade Union of Ampacs International Co., Ltd. - added that the Grassroots Trade Union had proposed and was agreed by the company's leaders to pay the 13th month bonus to seasonal workers, even though they did not agree to sign official labor contracts.
In case employees do not agree to sign official labor contracts (although the company has previously notified the supplier to consider arranging and transferring employees to other projects), based on assessing the working process, level of commitment and contribution of employees in the past time, the company still considers and implements the payment of the 13th month bonus for these cases" - Ms. Tran Thi My Nhien said.
