8 May 2020

A group of 150 Chinese workers believe the world's largest maker of trainers used the coronavirus as an excuse to fire them, having helped Taiwanese firm Pou Chen successfully expand its production into Vietnam for more than a decade.

Pou Chen, which makes footwear for the likes of Nike and Adidas, informed the group...that they would no longer be needed as they were unable to return to Vietnam from their hometowns in China due to the coronavirus lockdowns.

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...Pou Chen said it was forced to terminate the contracts of the Chinese employees across five of its factories due to an unprecedented decline in orders and financial losses.

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...Pou Chen stood by the move as the coronavirus pandemic had reduced demand for footwear products and so required an "adjustment of manpower."

"[The dismissals were] in accordance with the relevant labour laws of the country of employment ... and employee labour contracts," added the statement from Pou Chen, which employs around 350,000 people worldwide.

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...Pou Chen was ordered to temporarily shut down one of its units in Vietnam over coronavirus concerns, according to Vietnamese state media.

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