More than 1,000 workers at Free Well Ltd. Company in Binh Phuoc southern province on Thursday went on strike after an alleged dead worm was found in a worker’s lunch meal cooked by the company's kitchen staff.

According to Binh Phuoc Labor Union, when workers received foods served at the company’s canteen during lunch time on Nov. 7, one of them discovered a small animal looking like a worm in his food. He showed it to other workers and took another meal.

On the afternoon of Nov. 8, three papers that read “Worms found in food, don’t eat any more” were found inside a restroom for female workers. After this news spread, over 1,000 workers out of 4,000 workers at the company dared not eat lunch meals. Many of them even left the company for home.

After the incident, they company pledged to improving food safety and hygiene by having a “professional team” and a representative worker test and examine lunch meals before they are supplied to workers.

“Over the past time, we had to eat unsafe foods but we dared not to complaint because we are afraid of being sacked,” a worker who refused to be named told Tuoi Tre.

A source said each lunch meal cooked at the company’s kitchen costs VND15,000 (0.72 US cents).