Phan Le Diem Trang, director of the International Garment Company based in Binh Duong Province, said the situation had completely reversed itself since the global recession had sparked a slump in orders beginning last September”
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She said the number of export contracts had increased remarkably over the past few weeks and that her staff was working two to three hours overtime per day .
“In general, contract prices remain unchanged compared with last year,” said Trang,” “We have signed enough orders for the third quarter and we need 200 more workers.” Pham Thi Loan, a worker at the company, said she felt safe for the first time since she began fearing layoffs last year .
Lan Hanh Company, another garment firm in Binh Duong, recently announced it needed 100 more workers soon. Binh Duong, which neighbors Ho Chi Minh City, is one of southern Vietnam’s major industrial hubs .
Tran Phuoc Du, deputy head of production at the company, said his company had received enough orders to keep the firm busy through August, with 100,000 units per month .
In HCMC, the country’s commercial center, Tan Chau Company has announced it would export more than 600,000 T-shirts in the quarter ending this September .
“This is the first time since January we’ve had enough orders for a quarter,” said company director Uong Tien Thinh He said export contracts had rebounded since late-April and small apparel firms like his were no longer concerned about a plunge in demand .
“Popular garment and textile firms like Saigon 3, Viet Tien, Nha Be, and Phong Phu have almost enough orders for the third quarter or even the first half of the fourth quarter .
“According to Pham Xuan Hong, vice chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas), some companies cut jobs or even suspended production in late-2008 and early this year .
“But he said things were now “positive” as the same companies were hiring again .
“He also said that many foreign buyers had stopped buying Chinese garments after clothes made at factories in Guangdong Province were found containing excessive amounts of formaldehyde. He said some of these customers had switched to Vietnamese garments instead .
“In HCMC alone, the textile industry now needs to recruit more than 10,000 workers, he said .
“Textile shipments from Vietnam fell 2 percent to US$3.24 billion in the first five months of 2009, compared with a year earlier, according to government statistics .
“But Hong said exports in the third quarter would improve so long as the industry had enough workers .
““Many companies are even refusing orders as they haven’t been able to find enough workers,” he said .
“Nguyen Son, deputy general secretary of Vitas, echoed the concern .
““Dozens of garment companies across the country have orders for the third quarter but are finding it hard to recruit staff,” Vienam Investment Review quoted Son as saying .
““Some companies want thousands of workers but they can hire only 40- 50 percent of the figures,” he said .
“Son said the key problem was low salaries .
““With monthly salaries of VND1.2- 1.5 million ($67.43-84.29), or VND2.3- 2.5 million in large firms, workers struggle to cover their living costs. Many people switch to other jobs or return to their home communities,” he said” .
Date:6/21/2009
Source:Thanhnien News