According to Provincial Labor Confederation, despite being affected by the COVID-19, over the first 3 months, business and production activities of most enterprises in the province were stable. Workers' lives continued to receive attention and cared for.
The work of caring for and supporting workers having difficult circumstances always concerns all-level trade unions in the province.
Production situation is stable
Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran, Vice Chairman of Provincial Labor Confederation, said that due to bad impact of the COVID-19, in 2021, many companies let their employees take Tet holidays earlier and longer than previous years. However, most companies paid full wages, Tet bonuses to workers with an average bonus of 1 month salary under labor contract. On Tet holidays, there were 10 enterprises that continued production with a total of 685 workers employed. Enterprises actively coordinated and arranged production to ensure safe distance, implemented disinfection, wearing medical masks, the 5K message recommended by Ministry of Health, ensured good safety and hygiene, fire and explosion prevention and fighting; fully implemented salary and bonus regimes according to regulations for employees.
According to Ms. Nguyen, the number of workers who resumed work after Tet holidays as of 15 Mar 2021 was 784,782 / 817,323 (96%) in enterprises having trade unions. Most companies have returned to their usual operation. Only a few manufacturing and processing enterprises have not had orders, are awaiting dissolution, and rubber latex trading enterprises are taking a break. Labor situation in the province after Tet was less volatile. There were 916 companies that need to recruit 95,983 new workers, thereby contributing to stabilizing production and labor shortage after Tet.
Particularly, the case of Delancey Street Furniture Vietnam Company in Rach Bap Industrial Park (Ben Cat Town), announced dissolution of the company during the Tet holiday without sending in-advance notice to workers (345 workers), after receiving this news, Trade Union of industrial zones in Ben Cat town coordinated with the authorities to work with the company leaders to protect rights of employees. The company committed to carry out legal procedures for terminating operations before dissolution and fully pay employees' wages, allowances, and insurance in accordance with regulations. Additionally, Trade Union of Ben Cat town industrial zones introduced nearly 50 workers of Delancey Company to work at Kaiser 2 Wood Industry Company and Dai Loc Footwear Joint Stock Company in Rach Bap Industrial Park. The remaining number of employees is continuing to be reviewed and prioritized in job introduction according to recruitment demands of other enterprises.
To care for workers
This year, the COVID-19 continues to progress, provincial Labor Federation instructed trade unions at all levels to stop crowded activities, such as "New Year Reunion", "Spring Bus of Love" programs, cultural and art events, to switch to other suitable activities but still ensure the care and protection of interests of union members and workers. In addition, trade unions at all levels encouraged workers to stay in Binh Duong during Tet and called upon businesses and benefactors to join hands taking care of union members and workers; visited, gave gifts to workers. Accordingly, trade unions at all levels presented 546,890 gifts with total amount of over 350 billion VND to workers. The grassroots trade unions called upon business owners to pay Tet gifts to employees with total amount of 72.3 billion VND, equivalent to 74,380 gifts.
Provincial Labor Confederation also called upon companies and donors to take care of workers affected by the COVID-19 with a total cost of nearly 2 billion VND. This money amount was used to buy food and necessities to support people in quarantined areas, such as Phu Hoa ward (Thu Dau Mot city), Vinh Phu ward (Thuan An city), An Binh commune ( Phu Giao district). In addition, provincial Labor Confederation also collaborated with many companies, departments and industries to give thousands of other gifts to workers; continued to support 38 union members and workers funded by "Support Fund for Workers in extremely difficult circumstances" with total amount of 362 million VND during the Lunar New Year. Up to now, the fund has supported 271 cases with more than 2.2 billion VND and continued to call upon organizations, individuals and businesses to support the fund.
Besides, trade unions at all levels promptly cared of and supported union members, workers having difficult circumstances and dangerous diseases by funds of company employees; proactively proposed and collaborated with employers to organize life care activities for civil servants and union members, organize visits cases of sickness, maternity, birthdays, weddings, more than 2,850 cases with total expenditure of more than 1 billion VND. Trade unions continued to maintain the fund "Trade Union shelters". Over the first quarter of 2021, this fund presented 3 new houses with total cost of 180 million VND.
“In general, the implementation of labor law, especially issues of salaries and year-end bonuses for employees, were actively done by most companies, performed quite well, with full salary and allowance payment plans, overtime pay and other income for employees. To take care of workers' lives, in the coming time, trade unions will continue to find needy workers to promptly give help and motivate them; cooperate with companies to take good care of salary, bonus and insurance regimes, protect employees' interests”, said Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran.
Reported by Quang Tam - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
