NATCOM: HAITIAN EMPLOYEES CLAIM VIETNAMESE MANAGERS OPPRESS THEM
by
Grégory Anténor Civil

Since Monday, March 11, the Haitian employees of Natcom rebel against the direction of this subsidiary of Viettel in #Haiti. They demand better treatment, reasonable wages and respect.

Among their demands, there is notably the increase of their salary and more suitable conditions of work because according to, several of them, the offices devoted to the Haitian employees are far from hygienic.

In a note from Natcom's management, the salary of employees was adjusted by 1200 gourdes, which angered the Haitian workers who went so far as to call for a stoppage of work until their claims are taken into account.

Natcom pays Vietnamese employees in US dollars and Haitians in gourdes. When a Vietnamese has 500 US dollars as a fee, the Haitian employee has less than 2000 gourdes. However, it is obvious that the heaviest tasks are exercised by Haitian employees.

The worst part of all this, Haitian engineers admit they know their phones are tapped by Vietnamese management who record each of their conversations. Especially, in this time of crisis.

Technicians managing the databases caused a malfunction of the network. In many parts of Haiti, the Natcom network does not work. They also threaten to divulge sensitive information about what they call "Cell S" if Vietnamese do not stop listening and recording them.

They say they are determined to pursue their demands to the end. They denounce the fact that Natcom bribes parliamentarians, ministers, judges and other authorities but does not want to give them a living wage.

Foreign engineers have all sorts of privileges while Haitians are treated as "dirty niggers", according to the racist expression of Vietnamese management.

Customers are the big victims of this situation between Natcom and its Haitian employees who claim the management of Natcom oppresses them by tapping their phones and threatening them instead of finding common ground.