Lunar New Year 2018: Taking good care of workers

During Lunar New Year 2018, Binh Duong has about 140,000 out of 1 million workers staying at the province during Tet, accounting for 16.47%. Accordingly, activities taking care of workers during Tet holidays were done thoroughly, happily, economically, both for workers backing home and workers staying here.

In 2017, natural disasters, storms and floods in the central and northern provinces affected many workers’ families in remote villages, so businesses paid full salary of Jan 2018 to employees before Tet. Until now, there are no cases of enterprise have announced debt or late payment of salary to employees. The Tet bonus has been implemented by enterprises in the province for many years. This is not only the right, obligation and responsibility of enterprises towards employees, but also one of practical policies of enterprises to retain employees and create a stable labor relation. Most enterprises paid Tet bonuses equal to one-month salary under labor contract (13th salary). Some enterprises rewarded higher than one-month salary, for example, Yazaki Eds Company rewarded 1.2 month salary, Chi Hung Company rewarded from 1 to 1.5 month salary, Thien Nam Company, Lode Star Company rewarded 1.5 month salary, P&G Vietnam rewarded 2 month salary

Ms. Truong Thi Bich Hanh (left), Chairman of provincial Labor Federation, sends workers to their hometown to celebrate Tet under the program "Happy spring bus in 2018". 

In order to contribute to the implementation of social security policy, taking care of worker’s lives during Lunar New Year 2018, provincial Labor Federation supported vehicles to help poor trade unionists and employees to return home safely and economically for family reunion. In addition, provincial Labor Federation also encouraged enterprises to support the material, spiritual life of workers on occasion of Lunar New Year. In particular, provincial People's Committee gave 9,100 gifts with a total of more than VND4.5 billion; trade union at all levels presented 355,000 gifts valued at over VND 105 billion to workers in difficult circumstances and suffering from serious diseases.

In addition, provincial Labor Confederation directly visited 50 worker’s families in difficult circumstances due to serious illness. In addition, provincial Labor Federation also directed trade unions to organize "Tet reunion" with many practical activities to care for workers. Particularly, provincial Labor Federation organized a series of Tet activity with "Tet Festival of workers", "Spring of Love", "Thank to members". From February 3 to February 6, at Binh Duong Culture Labor Center, program series to serve workers in Lunar New Year 2018 took place with many meaningful activities: selling Tet goods with discounted prices, rice cake contest, Tet greeting card contest, art performances, giving gifts to poor workers ... The program attracted over 10,000 workers in ​​Thuan An Town, Di An Town.

In order to enhance the role and functions of trade unions, all-level trade union disbursed budget for nearly 4,000 tickets for migrant workers working in Binh Duong province to return their hometown on Tet, which was up by half compared with 2017 (3,000 tickets). The program "Happy spring bus" has been organized by provincial Labor Federation for 8 consecutive years, brought nearly 20,000 workers with especially difficult circumstances to their hometown to welcome Tet, has been joyously responded by labor force. As a result, many enterprises also organized transportation for workers to return home. This year, there were nearly 20,000 employees who were transported to their hometown and tens thousand of workers were supported part of the cost of returning home by enterprises.

In addition, trade unions mobilized Mobifone Telecom Corporation to sponsor 1,200 train tickets, allocated 500 train tickets to Binh Duong province, bringing more youth union members and employees to the central and northern provinces to reunite with family. Cultural art activities and entertainment for workers also took place animatedly. Provincial Labor Federation coordinated with Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to hold 20 cultural art nights of "Welcoming Party, welcoming Spring" to serve labor force before, during and after Lunar New Year.

In parallel with province-level activities, at enterprises, trade unions well organized activities to take care of their employees. Many enterprises such as Chi Hung Company, Shang Hung Chen Company, Thong Dung Company, Foster Electronics Company, collaborated with employers to organize art and cultural events, year-end parties, lucky draw game with many gifts to thank their employees after a year of hard work, with a total value of more than VND52 billion. Many businesses presented more than 150,000 gifts, priced from VND100,000 to 500,000 each, total amount over VND50 billion.

Reported by Kim Ha – Translated by Ngoc Huynh