Proposal to "pay in installments" workers' salaries
In the application for support and attached documents recently sent to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Huu Toan - a former employee of Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited (HCMC) - showed that Mr. Toan signed a labor contract (LC) with Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited for a term of 12 months to work as a construction manager.
In November 2023, Mr. Toan and the company terminated the labor contract and both parties confirmed that the company had not paid Mr. Toan more than 81 million VND from April to September 2023. After that, the company transferred 5 million VND into Mr. Toan's account twice, for a total of 10 million VND to pay Mr. Toan's salary.
On May 9, 2024, the Inspectorate of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City organized a dialogue between Mr. Toan and Thu Duc Trading and Service Company Limited and the company's representative confirmed that it was correct that he still owed Mr. Toan more than 71 million VND in salary. At the same time, he said that due to the company's difficulties, he could only pay Mr. Toan 3 million VND per month until the debt was paid off, although Mr. Toan did not agree because the amount was too small.
By May 31, 2024, the Inspector of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City issued a decision requiring Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited to pay the full amount of more than 71 million VND to Mr. Toan. If the payment is late, it must also compensate an additional amount of interest according to the provisions of law.
After that, because Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited still did not pay Mr. Toan's salary, on September 16, 2024 and October 9, 2024, the Inspectorate of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City continued to send a document reminding the company to pay Mr. Toan's salary and send a report to the Inspectorate of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City. However, according to Mr. Toan, as of January 27, 2025, Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited had not yet implemented this decision.
Ignore the decision of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Inspectorate
To clarify the incident, Lao Dong newspaper reporters contacted the phone number of Mr. Le Van Hung - General Director of Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited and Mr. Hung asked us to come to the company to work.
When we arrived at the company, a woman named Tang Bich Loan, who claimed to be the business manager of Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited, announced that Mr. Hung was on a business trip. Ms. Loan took a photo of Mr. Toan's application for support and other documents and sent them to Lao Dong Newspaper along with our press cards, and promised to notify the company's leadership for a response.
However, more than a month has passed, Lao Dong Newspaper has not received any response from Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited, although we have called Mr. Hung's and Ms. Loan's phone numbers many times, but no one answered.
Talking to us on January 27, 2025, Mr. Toan said that although the company promised to pay 3 million VND per month, up to now, Mr. Toan has not received any salary.
“Because I am not paid, my family life is very difficult. I have to borrow money to cover living expenses and raise two small children, which greatly affects my material and spiritual life,” said Mr. Toan.
Thus, it shows that Thu Duc Trading - Service Company Limited has not only delayed paying salaries to employees, but also ignored the decision of the Inspectorate of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City.
