LookAtVietnam – About 93 per cent of surveyed workers have no understanding of the Labour Law, according to latest statistics.

Workers repaint the Opera House in Ha Noi. Almost every worker surveyed recently had no knowledge of the Labour Law, which protects their rights.

The survey was carried out in seven provinces and cities.

Truong Lam Danh, deputy chairman of HCM City’s Labour Federation said that it is a lack of basic knowledge of the law that leads to the serious accidents and the exploitation of the workers by unscrupulous bosses.

Yesterday morning, a female worker in Central Highland province of Lam Dong was killed after falling from the fourth floor at a construction site.

One worker was killed and two others were seriously injured last weekend in HCM City in a similar incident.

Danh said a total of 70 work-related accidents occurred during the first eight months of the year, an increase of five compared to the same period last year.

Work-related accidents killed 71 people and injured 18. Of the total, 31 deaths were caused by electricity-related incidents and 17 from falls, according to Danh.

The Ha Noi Labour Federation said that nearly 20 people had been killed in 13 serious work-related accidents and dozens of people had been seriously injured.

The primary cause of the consecutive accidents was a failure of workers to wear safety clothes.

The confederation’s survey has shown that up to nearly 80 per cent of female workers have to work 2-3 hours beyond their normal shifts without over-time pay.

About 55 per cent of female workers have to work in noisy environments and have no access to toilets or safe water.

However, most of them have no intention of complaining to the relevant authorities.

Ho Ngoc Dang, a worker in Ha Noi said that it was difficult to find a job, and earning money was more important than caring about the labour law or health insurance mechanism as it was not clear what the affects the law had on her daily life.

Accidents are a worry but earning money is the foremost concern, said Dang.

Nguyen Hoa Binh, deputy head of the confederation said that the trade unions should continue publicising the labour, health and social insurance laws to the workforce so that the workers would be more aware of their rights and the poor treatment they were currently suffering.

Trade unions must take a more active role in improving knowledge among workers of their labour rights, said Binh.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News