Companies operational through Tet amid high demand

Nguyen Linh Hoang, 34, works for Nidec Vietnam, a Japanese-funded motors manufacturer at a hi-tech facility in Thu Duc City.

He has decided to stay back and work through Tet, having spent six previous Lunar New Year holidays at his home in the central province of Phu Yen.

In January, his factory announced that production would continue throughout Tet. From Feb. 7 to 17, workers get 200-400% more pay if they sign up to work during the holiday. Workers also get VND200,000 a day as a bonus during the 10-day period. The Lunar New Year began on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Hoang signed up for six days of work, deciding to spend the other four days in order to take his wife to her hometown for a visit.

"This year I stay back to work with the company. I will try to reunite with my family for the next Tet," he said.

Hoang is only one of 1,400 workers at Nidec Vietnam who decided to work through Tet.

Luu Kim Hong, president of the firm's union, said the number of orders at the company has remained stable through the festival season. The company is thus allowing workers to work through the long national holiday so that full-capacity production can resume as soon as possible after Tet.

"The company encourages workers to work through Tet, and workers can sign up voluntarily. The number of people working through Tet amounts to around 30% of the workforce. Extra pay and bonuses are ensured," Hong said.

In Binh Duong that borders HCMC, 16 production factories and several businesses have allowed over 6,000 employees to work through Tet.

Pham Van Tuyen, vice director of the Binh Duong Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said most businesses that allow work through the holiday have 3,000 employees or more and are located in industrial parks. The firms mostly produce electrical products and labels, he added.

Some firms have allowed thousands of workers to work through Tet, such as Techtronic Industries Vietnam Manufacturing, a company at the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park that mainly produces drills, lighting and other equipment. The firm has over 1,000 people working through Tet.

Tuyen said businesses in sectors like general clinics or security guard services are also employing workers during Tet. He estimated the number of workers in this category at about 3,000.

The labor department has instructed businesses and sectors to give workers extra pay and benefits for Tet hours, in accordance with the law.

In HCMC, a representative of the labor department said businesses in industrial parks and certain service sectors, like supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, often see workers working through Tet as well.

Nguyen Bao Cuong, head of the labor-salary-social security division of the labor department, said businesses are also offering Tet activities for workers, such as giving them "lucky money", besides providing the extra pay.

"Despite the higher costs, businesses are willing to pay extra to make sure orders stay on schedule," Cuong said.