Home > Labour News > Wildcat Strike in Vietnam

Wildcat Strike in Vietnam

Against Wage-Labour

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:07:00

Six thousand workers have begun a strike as of July 3, 2008 at a Vietnam textile plant called Chutex group demanding pay raises.

Workers have demanded that management increase their wages by 15% and cover the costs of accommodation and transportation. The company has responded with an offer of a 10% increase but this was refused and the workers continued their strike.

Chutex produces and supplies many top brand name clothing lines such as Levi’s, Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Jones New York and Calvin Klein, and stores such as The Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer. Their plants are located across Asia in Singapore, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia where wages earned by workers are some of the lowest in the world thus resulting in enormous profits of millions of dollars for the textile company and the companies that are purchasing the products.

Vietnam has been hit by hundreds of strikes over the past few years many of them illegal as the unions have been ineffective at controlling the workers. The workers, from Chutex as well as many other companies, have independently struggled to fight back and demand wages that although still extremely low are somewhat higher and perhaps a bit more in keeping with the rising inflation in Vietnam. Additionally there have been demands for better working conditions, the end to abuse of workers among other demands by workers. The unions have been criticized for not controlling the workers that is, being able to negotiate with the employers without the work stoppages. The criticism comes from the fact that if the unions were effective then they could prevent so many work stoppages thus saving the companies the lost production and subsequent profits. The so-called illegal strikes are called such because these strikes are organized outside of the union. This demonstrates the ability of the workers to fight back on their own against being exploited for profit. These actions are a starting point from where workers can learn and realize their potential to put a dent in the system and more importantly a starting point from where they can develop the anti-capitalist workers council.

E-MAIL THIS

PRINT THIS

Recent Articles:

Workers and their Families Suffer Immigration Raids

Approximately 3,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Postville Iowa, a number greater than the actual population of this small town in Iowa, United States, supporting the workers who, back in May 2008 were arrested and charged with identity...

Working Teen Killed by Capitalism in Manitoba, Canada

On July 25th, 2008, a 15-year-old boy was killed at a construction site in Stony Mountain, Manitoba when he was literally buried by hot asphalt.

Wages of the Kian Tyre Workers Not Paid

The struggle of the Kian Tyre workers still goes on.

Fourteen Thousand Strike in Vietnam

With consumer prices rising steadily in Vietnam, 14,000 Hwa Seung Vina footwear workers are demanding an $18 raise and rejected the compromised raise from management of $12.

Strike Against German Airline Lufthansa

July 28, 2008 - Approximately 5,000 freight, catering and maintenance staff walked off the jobs at midnight after the Verdi service union representing 52,000 workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of an indefinite strike.

Worker Unrest in China

Social uprising in China continues as migrant workers have rioted for three days in eastern China after a migrant worker was beaten up by security guards.

Strikes Continue in Peru

Miners began another strike at Shougang Hierro Peru on Monday July 13th, 2008.

Nationwide Strike of Miners in Peru

On June 30th, 2008, a national strike began by more than 28,000 miners of more than a dozen mines with demands for increased wages, a shorter work day, and better pensions including a demand that Congress pass legislation that afford them a bigger...

Mineworkers Walk off Job in Peru

For the third time in fourteen months Peruvian mineworkers have staged a national strike for better pay and benefits.

Workers Killed and Injured on the Job

June 9, 2008, Stelllenbosch, South Africa: Five workers have died and thirteen have been injured when a sub-contractor was demolishing a wall at an old wine cellar in Stellenbosch in the wine region of South Africa.

Diamond Workers Strike in Namibia

June 2008 – Approximately 200 workers of Lev Leviev Diamonds (LLD) factory have been striking for four days without the support of their union.

The Unbridled Savagery of German Capitalists on the Way Paved by Trade Unions

The 21st century is a disgusting comedification of the tragedy of the exploitation of labour power by capital. The form of such a farce is different in different parts of the world. In Iran, the tragic comedy is made up of the owed back wages to...

Shoe Workers Strike in Vietnam

Hai Phong City, Vietnam – nearly than 7,000 shoe workers walked off the job with demands for higher wages.

Petrotrin Oil Workers Work Stoppage

May 8, 2008 – It is now the second day of a strike for 6,000 workers of Trinidad and Tobago’s state-owned Petrotrin in protest to health and safety issues and fears of job cuts.

Solidarity Letter From Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) in Support of Mahmoud...

To the Iranian Government: I am writing on behalf of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), in Toronto, Canada, to condemn your despicable treatment of Mahmoud Salehi. We learn that you are intending to keep him...