Right and successful solution helps the industrial production growth

Proactively attacking the epidemic, taking the initiative in economic development management scenarios, in the spirit of timely solving problems, providing maximum support for the enterprises, workers, the industrial production of Bac Ninh remained stable and had a good growth rate. The index of industrial production in 6 months increased by 11.8%, the commodity export increased by nearly 30% over the same period. The processing and manufacturing industry continues to affirm its role as a driving force in the local industry.

Ojitex Hai Phong Co., Ltd in Bac Ninh (VSIP) maintains its production to ensure the product supply to the partners

After more than half a month of implementation for the employees to stay and work at the factories amid the extremely complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic, helped hundreds of enterprises in Bac Ninh maintain their stable production. According to the information from Bac Ninh Industrial Zones Authority Management Board, at present, in the industrial zones, nearly 780 enterprises registered to operate according to Notice No. 56/TB-UBND dated May 26, 2021 of the Provincial People’s Committee on arranging the workers to stay and work at the factories, with nearly 130,000 employees. From the beginning of June until now, 40 Working groups of the province have inspected and guided the safety conditions on epidemic prevention and control for more than 450 enterprises. The enterprises have the document components on COVID-19 prevention and control such as: Decision on establishing the Steering Committee for epidemic prevention and control at workplace; Plan for epidemic prevention and control; Assessment of  risk of infection at the facilities; Regulations on epidemic prevention and control of the enterprises; Decision on establishing the COVID-19 Safety Team at the enterprises; Commitment of the employees at workplace and residence; Commitment of the enterprises in implementing the epidemic prevention and control.

The grading results for assessment of the risk of COVID-19 infection at the enterprises are classified into 5 risk groups as follows: The very low infection risk group is 9.5%; The low infection risk group accounts for 45.3%; The average infection risk group is 10.4%; The high infection risk group is 4.8%; There are no enterprises in the Very high infection risk group (0%). For the implementation of the Plan for arranging the employees to stay at the factories according to the Notice 56/TB-UBND, 19% of enterprises did well; 47% of enterprises achieved good result; 29% of enterprises achieved average result; 6% of enterprises are at poor level. Most enterprises have actively and creatively developed the options, plans and complied with the province’s regulations on epidemic prevention and control.

For the enterprises that are still confused in deployment and implementation, the working groups will guide and support in order to ensure the safe operation according to the “6 Safety” criterion, including: “Production safety, fire prevention and fire fighting safety, COVID-19 safety, food safety, security and order, peace of mind for production”. Some enterprises with high risk of infection, the Working groups will inspect at the enterprises and require overcoming before they can operate.

By implementing the solutions for the workers to stay and work at the factory, Ojitex Hai Phong Co., Ltd in Bac Ninh (VSIP) – with 100% investment capital from Japan, specializing in manufacturing high-grade packaging maintains its continuous production. The company rents rest houses for 288 workers to stay and provides pick-up cars to ensure the regulations; provides additional support of 50,000 VND/person/day and supports 3 meals/day, increases the rations, ensures nutrition, improves resistance for epidemic prevention and control and work performance. For the number of workers who are temporarily off work, the Company only pays the basic salary. Mr. Joshitaka Nagakawa, Factory Manager said: “The permission for the workers who stay and work at the factory is an ideal solution to help the enterprise preserve its human resources to maintain the production activities well, with reached output of about 90% compared to before the epidemic, meeting the needs of partners”.

Implementing the direction of the province, the enterprises coordinate with the local authorities and landlords to sign the commitment in order to ensure the conditions for epidemic prevention and control such as: Installing cameras at the entrance and exit positions, hostel corridors to control the entrance and exit. Mr. Nguyen Phuong Hoang, owner of Thao Nguyen rest house, Doi Soc Area, Phu Chan ward, Tu Son town (the concentrated residence of the workers of Ojitex Hai Phong Co., Ltd in Bac Ninh) said: The family signed the commitment with the local authority on the management of workers; daily, cleaning and disinfecting the entire rest house and reminding the staying workers to strictly comply with the regulations on epidemic prevention and control, not to gather and exchange between the rooms. In general, the people here follow the regulations very well.

PANTOS Logistics Vietnam Co., Ltd (VSIP) - specializing in transport service business, from 01 June, arranged 43 workers to stay at the factory. All of these workers had COVID tests and periodically test 20% of workers/week. Mr. Ho Nghia Tai (from Nghe An), an office staff of the Company said: “The Company arranges accommodation and meals and meets all the essential living needs for the workers staying at the factory. In addition to salary, the Company supports an additional part of the cost and provides 3 free meals/day. Although I miss my family so much, but in the context of the current epidemic situation, it is very good when the Company can maintain the production activities and I also have a job and stable income. I continue to register to stay at the factory to jointly implement the Company’s production plan.

Managing the workers in the condition that the epidemic is under control

Implementing the Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated June 14, 2021 on “Ensuring sustainable jobs, raising the living standards, improving the working conditions of the workers", to create favorable conditions for the production and business of the enterprises, on 15 June 2021, the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control issued the Decision No. 208/QD-BCD Stipulating temporarily on ensuring safety for the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic in the new situation, starting to apply from June 20. In which, specifying the responsibilities of functional sectors, local authorities, enterprises and workers in each area implementing the Directives No. 15, 19 and Directive 16 of the Prime Minister on the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control measures. Allowing the workers outside the province to come to Bac Ninh to work in the spirit of minimizing the reception of unskilled workers, giving priority to technical staff and above. For the workers outside the province who come to Bac Ninh to work, the enterprises must perform the first negative PCR test and then move to the concentrated living area, after 3 days of the second negative PCR test, they will be allowed to enter the factory and have pick-up cars, carry out the next tests as regulated..

Mr. Joshitaka Nagakawa, Factory Manager of Ojitex Hai Phong Co., Ltd in Bac Ninh (VSIP) said: The enterprise agrees and will strictly implement the regulations in the Decision No. 208/QD-BCD. On 16 June, the Company organized PCR test for the workers who are staying in the concentrated residences and the workers who are staying in the hostels. On 19 June, a quick test was organized for all workers to work rotation, for those staying at the factory to go home and the workers in the hostel to go back to work. For the workers outside the province, they will continue to stay at the company’s residence. Every week, will continue to test and screen as regulated. In order to prepare the conditions for the workers to return to work at the factories, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Huong Giang requested the relevant departments, branches and localities to coordinate in receiving and handling the petitions of the enterprises, especially related to the workers and vehicles passing through the COVID-19 epidemic checkpoints/stations in the spirit of maximum support within the permitted scope. Provide specific instructions to the enterprises and workers, strictly manage going to work, arrange shift meals and carry out tests for the workers and employees under their management. The workers and employees staying in the areas where are complying with the Directives 15 and 19 can come for concentrated test at the factory. The localities where are implementing the Directive 16 to create conditions for the workers to come to the concentrated test points.

With the flexible epidemic prevention and control solutions in each specific condition, Bac Ninh creates favorable conditions to help the enterprises retain the workers to stay at the factories for operating the production lines, and ensure the performance of economic contracts, maintain production, promote the industry growth in the context of the epidemic.