FDI firms in Binh Duong call for increased overtime hours of workers

Binh Duong (VNA) – A majority of foreign-invested firms in the southern province of Binh Duong asked for workers’ overtime maximum to be increased to raise production efficiency while meeting with the local administration on July 30.

A representative of the Rheem Vietnam Co. Ltd, based at the Dong An 2 Industrial Park, said workers’ overtime maximum being limited at 30 hours each month and 200 hours a year (300 hours in special situations) is hindering businesses’ operations.

Their activities now depend much on “business seasons”, especially unplanned orders, so it is necessary to ask employees to work overtime, it said, asking the People’s Committee of Binh Duong province to propose authorised agencies increase workers’ overtime limit.

The firm said labourers also want more overtime so they can earn more money.

Echoing the view, a representative of the Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam JSC, based at the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park 2, said the overtime maximum of 300 hours is unfeasible as it is not easy to recruit new workers, so most businesses have to exceed this limit. Authorised agencies should raise workers’ overtime hours to match the reality, the representative said.

At the dialogue, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Van Tuyen admitted that regulations on overtime hours are an obstacle to businesses. He promised submitting proposals to relevant agencies to have suitable solutions.

Many other problems relating to customs procedures, social insurance for foreigners or investment incentives were also pointed out by foreign direct investment (FDI) firms at the event.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Van Nam assured that Binh Duong will always provide the best conditions for foreign enterprises. Investors’ opinions will help the province improve the local investment climate, he said.

Issues under the provincial administration’s jurisdiction will be solved as soon as possible while those under central agencies will be gathered and sent to relevant units, he noted.

Binh Duong, an industrial hub in the south of Vietnam, currently ranks third in FDI attraction, after Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, with 3,397 projects worth 30.9 billion USD. In the first half of 2018, it attracted 718 million USD of foreign investment.-VNA