Throughout the year 2020, the work of caring for workers as well as all classes of people received special attention by the provincial leaders. At present, sharing difficulties of and taking care of workers and people in quarantine areas is done together by all governmental levels, branches and businesses with the hope that everyone has a Happy New Year.
Food and essential necessities are adequately supplied for people in quarantine areas.
To take care of workers
Due to the epidemic situation, most festival events that gather people on New Year's Day, including "The spring bus of gratitude" and "New Year Reunion" hosted by Provincial Labor Confederation must be suspended. However, the work of taking care of workers has been done well. Accordingly, in 2021, 4,000 poor workers, who have lived far from their hometown in many consecutive years and are working in the province, will receive bus tickets of "Spring bus of gratitude". In the immediate future, the province will compensate each person with 500,000 VND for the fare.
Other programs to take care of workers on new year, such as "0 VND booth of discounted goods" to help workers have enough food and necessities during the Tet holiday. This program was carried out provincial Labor Confederation, provincial Youth Union, and trade unions at all levels, governments of districts, towns and cities. The venues of this program are places where have many workers, but social security and order as well as disease prevention and control was guaranteed. "Provincial Labor Confederation decided to stop the program “New Year Reunion” to prevent control the epidemic. Up to now, we have mobilized nearly 3 billion VND in support from units, businesses and philanthropists to take care of workers. The campaign to call for taking care of workers on new year will continue to be done in the coming days”, said Nguyen Kim Loan, Chairwoman of provincial Labor Confederation.
Functional forces are on duty to protect security and order inside quarantine areas.
Nguyen Loc Ha, Member of Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee, said: “This year, the number of workers who stayed in Binh Duong during Tet holiday reached its record level. In general, people are aware of dangers of the epidemic and have proactively prevented them. Due to the large number of workers staying in the province during Tet, functional forces were assigned to ensure security”. Mr. Nguyen added that the province encouraged businesses and lodging house’ owners to support workers to welcome Tet away from home. Provincial People's Committee also supported more than 3,000 workers, each 500,000 VND. The criteria for supported workers were set and selected by provincial Labor Confederation.
In recent days, on the one hand, provincial Labor Confederation directed epidemic prevention control work to all levels of trade unions, enterprises, workers; on the other hand, provincial Labor Confederation made efforts to encourage companies, lodging house’ owners, unions to join hands and help workers. Thereby, many large enterprises in the area announced the amount of money to help poor workers. Specifically, Directors Board of Cu Hung 2 Company recommended their workers not to go to many places during the Tet holidays; strictly implement measures to prevent and control the epidemic. To workers had bought tickets to their hometowns, but decided to stay in Binh Duong during Tet, the company subsidized 350,000 VND and trade union gave 150,000 VND to each worker to partially offset the cost.
The factory of VAS An Hung Tuong Steel Company, based in Binh Duong, also announced that it stopped bus trips for their workers returning to their hometowns on Tet 2021. To encourage workers stay in Binh Duong, the company supported VND 500,000 per person.
Provincial Labor Confederation is totaling up the number of companies in the area supporting workers during the Tet holiday. Besides, in the province, there are many owners of lodging houses offering free rentals and discounted rentals to workers. These contributed to easing workers’ burden and encouraged them to stay in the province on Tet holiday. Nguyen Thanh Huyen, a native of Ha Tinh province, has more than 7 years working in Binh Duong, said: "I have informed my family that I will stay in Binh Duong for Tet, contributing to the epidemic prevention control. I can return home next year. Only when the epidemic is well controlled, everyone will be healthy and I am happy too”.
To give strength to epidemic zones
On Feb 5th, activities caring for workers and people living in quarantine zones throughout the province were consolidated by all governmental branches and levels. Necessity items, such as rice, fruits, fresh vegetables, milk, drinking water etc. were supplied by people, businesses and benefactors to quarantine zones. Phan Cong Khanh, Party Secretary of Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City said: "At each checkpoint, we carefully send a letter of thanks to local residents for working together for epidemic prevention control.
Volunteer students, after receiving necessities, set up areas to distribute food to people very ỏderly.
To protect people’s health inside blockaded areas, Mr. Phan said that 3 groups were established to help residents in each neighborhood within the area. There was one social security team, who constantly patrolled, supervised and kept the distance to prevent the epidemic outbreak. The other group encouraged residents to clean up the surrounding environment, put garbage into prescribed areas. A group of students volunteered to do food supply task, help people install Bluezone mobile application. This team had knowledge about how to prevent and control epidemic.
On Feb 5th, many organizations and benefactors carried food and necessities to quarantine areas in Phu Giao district. Doing good deeds to share difficulties with people having difficult circumstances has long been a beauty of Thu Dau Mot people. Currently, amidst the epidemic, Thu Dau Mot people are working together day and night, joining hands with the people in quarantine areas to quickly repel the epidemic.
Reported by Quang Tam - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
