Vietnam

Thousands of workers at a Vietnamese shoe factory have entered the sixth day of a strike over a new social insurance law slated to take effect next year. The new law says that workers would receive a social insurance monthly allowance when they retire instead of getting a one-time payment if they resign from their job. The workers contend that many of them would not be able to wait until retirement, which occurs at age 60 for men and 55 for women, to receive payment if they were to leave their current job, (Associated Press)
 
Textile and garment industry officials in Vietnam say that a partnership with Thailand would prove highly beneficial for both countries. Speaking at a recent joint press conference between the two countries, officials with the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association said that Thailand’s vertically-integrated textile supply chain would couple greatly with Vietnam’s strength as a final manufacturer and that a partnership would solidify the competitiveness of both countries as buyers increasingly shift their focus to the region. (Fibre2Fashion)