Female workers in Da Nang face automation pressure and social security barriers

At Rieker Vietnam Footwear Co., Ltd., the female labor force is currently 10,410 people out of a total of 11,880 workers, accounting for 87%. The average age of this group of workers is from 35 to 40 years old, the subjects under the greatest competitive pressure when businesses gradually automate production lines.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan, Deputy Head of the Women's Union of Rieker Vietnam Footwear Company, said: "Workers work in a chain, so it is very difficult to gather enough to exchange. After work hours, most women have to take care of their families and young children in cramped rented rooms. The need for support in policies, maternity, and working conditions is very large, but many people are still hesitant and do not dare to speak directly in front of the crowd about sensitive issues such as domestic violence, reproductive health, or income problems.

Faced with this barrier, the grassroots trade union has operated 355 Zalo groups to each production group and established an online consulting channel through a secure QR code.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan added: "Workers only need to scan the QR code to send private opinions at any time. The Women's Committee and the Inspection Committee commit to absolute confidentiality when receiving and coordinating with the human resources department to handle. Despite applying technology and encouraging workers to use artificial intelligence to look up laws, the trade union still maintains direct meetings at the workshop and visits at rented rooms to grasp the actual situation, not to let care be mechanical and insensitive.

Mr. Le Van Dai, Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City Labor Federation affirmed: "Female union members account for more than 60% of the total 243,000 union members in the whole city, present in most industries and fields that make important contributions to the socio-economic development of the city. However, female workers still face many difficulties such as the risk of job loss, job reduction due to structural shifts and automation, disparity in training opportunities, pressure to balance work and family, and needs for housing, kindergartens, health safety and discrimination at work.

Also according to the leaders of the City Labor Federation, women's activities today need to look directly at the bottlenecks from reality.

In many places, female labor activities are not really uniform, the capacity to advise, grasp needs, dialogue, negotiate and support the resolution of cases of female labor officials is still limited," Mr. Le Van Dai emphasized.

Therefore, according to the Da Nang City Labor Federation, reality requires women's work to strongly shift from organizing movements to advising on policies, dialogue, negotiation and in-depth care. Trade union levels need to apply digital technology to grasp the thoughts, protect the safety of female union members in cyberspace and promptly support the legitimate rights of workers.

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