Workers at the S&H Vina in northern Vietnam should be sure to let the company know at least three days in advance if they plan to catch a cold or have a family member pass away.

The absurd regulation prompted approximately 6,000 workers at the textile and garment firm in Thach Thanh District, Thanh Hoa Province, to walk out of the factory on Thursday.

When Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper arrived at the scene later that afternoon, the strike against S&H Vina management’s “inhumane actions” was still in full force.

S&H Vina laborers are only permitted one day of leave per month and are expected to request sick days at least three days in advance.

The final straw came at 1:00 pm on Wednesday when workers at the factory were settling down for a quick nap. 

Some of the laborers laid plastic sheets on the ground for added comfort and cleanliness, but a manager quickly appeared and seized the sheets, insisting that the workers lie on the brick floor should they want to take a nap.

The hostile act sparked a strike from more than 2,000 workers who said the manager’s actions were “inhuman” and asked to speak with company leaders.  The discussion ended without resolution.

As the strike continued into a second day, 4,000 additional workers joined the cause.

Later the same day, officials from the Thanh Hoa labor union and Thach Thanh administration participated in a dialogue between S&H Vina and its workers in a bid to settle the unrest.

Following the dialogue, the company said it fired the manager for his inappropriate behavior towards the workers.

S&H Vina said it is still considering other employee petitions will address each complaint separately.

The firm started operations in September 2015 and specializes in exporting textile and garment products.

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