Maggot-infested lunches ignite walkout at S Korean factory in southern Vietnam

By Phuc Hung   June 7, 2017 | 12:27 am PT
An initial inspection found the maggots had infested red chilis used in the meal.

Hundreds of workers at a South Korean garment company in Bac Lieu Province walked out of their canteen on Monday after finding maggots crawling in their lunch trays.

The female workers only returned to work two days later on Wednesday, an official said.

A source from the Pinetree Company, which employs around 2,000 workers to produce garments for export, said it had publicly apologized to the workers for the incident and promised not to dock their wages following the strike.

Those who have worked over the past two days will receive extra payment, the representative said.

Tran Thanh Quang, chairman of Bac Lieu’s labor union, said an initial inspection found the maggots had infested red chilis used in the meal, but “the rest of the food was fine.”

Quang said that maggots are often found in red chilis during the monsoon season.

Poor food quality is one of the main reasons for strikes across Vietnam. Legal action is not often taken.

Officials figures showed that more than 1,700 food poisoning cases killed 164 people and affected thousands in Vietnam over the past five years.

 
 
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