SINGAPORE – Logistics technology company Ninja Van is suspending the operations of a subsidiary firm in Vietnam as it works to resolve issues over delayed salary and social insurance payments to employees there.
The subsidiary firm ECRM Nobita, which has three offices based in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Vinh city, develops software solutions in the field of customer relationship management for online businesses.
Singapore-headquartered Ninja Van co-founder Tan Boxian said in response to queries from The Straits Times: “We’ve decided to pause operations until the most pressing issues – delayed salary and social insurance payments – are resolved.”
He added that the firm is looking to fix the issue by the end of next week.
Four employees in human resource, customer service and technical roles based in the Vinh city office told ST on Sept 17 that they have yet to be paid for August and are owed half a month’s salary for July.
“It has severely affected the life of all employees in Vietnam, in particular, many employees in the Hanoi office, whose families were affected by Typhoon Yagi,” said an employee who works in customer service.
The 31-year-old mother of one, whose pay is 7 million Vietnamese dong (S$369) a month, said she had to borrow 5 million Vietnamese dong from a colleague to pay for life expenses and school fees.
Another employee said she had to borrow money from her sister to cover living expenses.
Over 100 employees across all departments and positions have been impacted, said a team leader overseeing all technical and technological aspects of ECRM Nobita. Speaking to ST via e-mail on Sept 18, he said he had to sell the family car to cover part of his overdue bank loans and pay for his children’s school fees.
“September is the