Previously, the Vietnam
General Confederation of Labour (VGCL)
instructed labour unions at all levels to develop their own plans and budgets to
take care of members and workers during the Lunar New Year.
The longest and most important holiday in the country will fall in less than two
months, when millions of migrants in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
will start their journeys home.
The VGCL asked the unions to focus on helping disadvantaged workers and those
who had suffered workplace accidents or occupational disorders. Workers who had
been unable to afford return home in recent years were also a priority.
The unions were instructed to monitor employers to ensure they followed
regulations regarding working conditions, and did not try to force workers to do
more overtime than regulated or cut legitimate holiday leave, the VGCL stated.
Vehicles prepared by the unions to take members home should undergo safety
checks, and they should consider organising Tet activities for workers who were
unable to go home during the holiday.
According to the VGCL, the Hanoi
Federation of Labour had
already released its own plan to support migrant workers in the city.
The Hanoi union expected to hand out at least 6,500 gifts to poor members or
their families. It also planned to offer 1,600 free bus ticket to migrant
labourers for them to go home ahead of the holiday.
The Federation of Labour in Dong Nai province – which is an industrial hub in
southern Vietnam – reported that it would present 2,500 gifts worth 1.25 billion
VND (54,300 USD) to labourers, as well as 1,500 bus tickets.
Source: VNA