A senior Lao government official has urged better management of the recruitment process of Lao workers and information about the jobs available for the construction of the Laos-China railway to ensure workers’ rights.
Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Dr. Khampheng Saysompheng said last week provincial departments, district authorities, and labor recruitment agencies should work closely together to publicize job vacancies and prepare workers for the construction of the railway, Vientiane Times reported.
He pointed out that the information provided to the public was not sufficiently clear regarding the hiring of Lao workers, although rights for Lao workers were properly ensured during their employment on the railway.
According to project reports, about 16,000 people are employed in the construction of the railway, of whom about 4,500 are Lao nationals.
In 2017, the Chinese contractors said they needed to recruit 7,112 Lao workers for the construction of the railway. By responsibilities and specialties, the project needed a total of 211 specialists, 505 technicians, 56 office staff and 6,340 skilled workers.
