Nearly 3-year journey to reclaim rights
On the morning of February 13, at the headquarters of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, the warm atmosphere was completely different from previous stressful working sessions. Representatives of 58 workers of Hoa Khanh Textile Joint Stock Company directly came to send thanks to the Standing Committee and the team of city trade union officials after being fully paid benefits.
The case started in 2023, when the business owed wages, social insurance and allowances to employees for a long time. Initially, 89 workers authorized the trade union to sue. However, in the process of pursuing the case, some people withdrew their petitions due to worry, pressure and even suspicion that "they did not know if they could recover them".
However, those who stayed were persistent. After nearly three years, 58 workers' rights were completely resolved, with a total recovered amount of more than 3.2 billion VND. Of which, 1.83 billion VND was salary and related regimes; 1.420 billion VND of social insurance debt was paid in mid-April 2024. The entire remaining salary and allowance was completely paid on the evening of February 12, 2026.
We once thought that money was considered lost. Without the direction and support of the trade union, workers certainly could not have recovered it themselves," Mr. Huynh Thuyen - one of the people who pursued the lawsuit from the beginning - emotionally shared.
Joy came unexpectedly the night before the money was transferred in full. "Many brothers and sisters lost sleep because of the joy. Nearly three years of waiting, finally there was a complete ending," Mr. Thuyen said.
Not only receiving back about 55 million VND in salary, insurance and severance allowance, he was also finalized to enjoy one year of unemployment insurance at a rate of more than 3.9 million VND/month. From June 2025, due to meeting age conditions, he will receive a pension of about 4.8 million VND per month. "So I can confidently move on to a new journey," he expressed.
Ms. Nguyen Ngan - another worker - also received 35 million VND in salary and benefits. "Without the trade union, we would only be individual individuals, with very weak voices. Through this case, we see that the trade union is truly dedicated and responsible," she said.
From skepticism to firm belief
Mr. Le Van Dai - Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City Labor Federation - said that the gratitude of workers is the greatest motivation for the team of trade union officials.
In the early days, many brothers and sisters were still hesitant, not really trusting that the trade union could reclaim their rights. I have directly dialogued 2-3 times to listen to their thoughts. When there is a judgment and judgment enforcement is successful, brothers and sisters truly trust and continue to authorize the trade union," Mr. Dai shared.
The success of the case is not only in the figure of more than 3.2 billion VND recovered, but also in clearly affirming the representative role of the trade union organization in the context that individual workers can hardly protect themselves from complex legal disputes.
Directly accompanying workers were Ms. Le Thi Ngoc Oanh - Deputy Head of the Trade Union of Industrial Parks - and Mr. Le Thanh Cong Danh - a full-time trade union official. The two officials closely followed each dossier, provided specific legal guidance, helped workers understand the law, complete procedures, and participate in legal proceedings until the case was completely resolved.
During the lawsuit process, there were also pressures, even opinions that affected the prestige of the trade union organization. But with the spirit of protecting workers as a core function, the team of officials still persistently pursued it to the end.
According to representatives of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, Hoa Khanh Textile is just one of many cases being pursued. Currently, there are still 162 cases related to workers in Minh Hoang II (Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc) and more than 50 cases in Quang An being promoted for resolution.
After initial success, the trust of workers has been clearly strengthened. Currently, 113 more Hoa Khanh Textile workers continue to send petitions requesting trade union support to claim their rights. "If brothers and sisters place their trust, we will have more motivation," Mr. Le Van Dai emphasized.
