Nguyen Quang, director of Phu Long Tan Co. insouthern Binh Duong province, said that after the Lunar New Yearholidays, only 10 workers out of 100 returned to work.
Many workers who did not go back to work were highly skilled. Most ofthem moved to other companies, resulting in a significant labourshortage.
The company has struggled to execute its export orders because of the shortage.
"We have been hit really hard by the labour shortage," Quang said.
At a wood-craft village in Trang Bom district in southern Dong Naiprovince, many businesses were forced to curtail their productionbecause of a shortage of labourers after the Lunar New Year.
The products made by the villages are for export, but few of thecompanies will sign big contracts, fearful there will not be enoughworkers.
Nguyen Thanh Nhan, owner of Thanh Nhan fine-artwood production facility, said his facility has only 20 workers andcannot fill big orders.
"For big contracts, I do not dare because I can't find skilled workers," Nhan added.
Most of the workers in the wood-processing industry are unskilled highschool graduates. They are trained directly in factories or productionfacilities to meet the job requirements.
The salary forlabourers is considered to be fair, with businesses frequently paying100,000-150,000 VND a day for apprentices and 300,000-400,000 VND a dayfor skilled employees.
Huynh Van Long, owner of Minh Hanhwood facility in HCM City 's Hoc Mon district, said "despite thehigh salary, it's very difficult to retain the workforce because skilledworkers usually jump to other jobs. Employees with professional skillsopen small-scale production facilities. So the human resource shortagehas become really serious."
In order to keep and attractlabourers, the wood processing companies have improved workingconditions, salaries and allowance policies.
Nguyen ThanhNhan said his company always gives priority to recruiting locallabourers, especially skilled workers. The company trains the disabledand offers salaries and bonuses for them at the same level.
Thanh Nhan facility has invested in machines and modern technology to improve productivity and working conditions.
According to Vietnam Forestry and Wood Association, the country has2,600 wood-processing enterprises and 27,000 small-scale wood processingfacilities, with a total of 300,000 people.
The industryhas set up wood-processing industrial clusters on a large scale in HCMCity , Dong Nai province, Binh Duong province, the Central Highlands,the south-central coast, and Hanoi .-VNA