VietNamNet Bridge – Shipbuilding yards have been left idle and
big ships have become rusty, while crews have been calling for help from
abroad. These all reflect the current situation of the Vietnam Shipbuilding
Industry Group (Vinashin), which was once the giant in the shipbuilding
industry.
No job, no salary
When the morning just dawned,
thousands of workers flocked to the thermopower plant in Tam Hung commune of
Thuy Nguyen district in Hai Phong City, starting a new working day.
Meanwhile, the shipbuilding yards
of the subsidiaries belonging to Vinashin, located not far from the plant, were
still quiet. Sometimes people could hear the sound from hammers. The production
could be seen at some workshops in the large area reserved for ship builders.
A lot of workers, including the
ones who have devoted nearly all of their lives to shipbuilding yards, have to
leave to look for new jobs, because they have become abandoned by Vinashin.
In fact, the giant can do nothing
for its workers, since it still cannot settle old debts, lacks capital, lacks
materials and equipment for production. Workers now can receive basic salaries
for their current works, while have not gotten the salaries of many previous
months.
The Nam Trieu Shipbuilding
Company, a subsidiary of Vinashin, now receives fewer orders. Therefore, the
number of workers has decreased sharply. Meanwhile, at its golden age, Nam
Trieu had more than 7000 workers instead of the current 3800. A lot of them
have left the shipbuilding industry.
Deputy General Director of Nam
Trieu Company Phung Van Khoi complained that workers leave the company in the
most difficult period. Nam Trieu now gathers its strength to build the 56,000
ton ship, while it lacks workers.
“We have to arrange three
production shifts a day in recent days,” Khoi said.
“We hope that the year 2013 would
be better, when we implement the contract on building 20 ships for Vinalines,”
he added.
Laying off workers
The Bach Dang Shipbuilding
Company has cut down its workforce from 3000 to 2457. In the first quarter of
2012, the company still had enough jobs for workers when building the 17,500
ton ship, the 14,600 ton cement carrier for the Nghi Son Cement Company and a
17,500 TEU ship.
However, the situation has become
more difficult since the second quarter of the year. About 50 percent of its
workers have been sitting idle.
The Pha Rung Shipbuilding
company, which had 3000 workers, had to lay off 200 workers, while 600 others
stay at home for 6-12 months due to the lack of jobs.
Bogged down in debts
Workers of the Nam Trieu Company
presently only receive 3-4 million dong a month on average. Meanwhile, those
who work in shifts get 1-2 million dong only.
However, even the modest pay has
also put a heavy burden on the enterprise. Since March, workers have received
50 percent of the salaries in advance.
At the Bach Dang Company, since
the second quarter, workers have got 2 million dong a month on average. The
workers of Pha Rung Company were luckier with 3.8 million dong a month in the
first six months of the year. However, the salaries have also decreased
significantly recently.
Vinashin still has been
struggling to survive the current difficulties. It has been trying to look for
new markets in Latin America and Caribbean countries. However, if it gets new
orders, it would face new difficulties – the labor shortage.
Le Khac
Business & Investment Opportunities
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