Overcoming hardship with workers

In the past few days, in addition to efforts to mobilize funds to take care of residents and workers at medical quarantine area, the frontline forces in the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic, the provincial Trade Union has sent a document to its grassroots at districts, towns and cities regrading the spending support for F0 and F1 who are disadvantaged workers in quarantined and medically isolated areas according to the regulations.

Ms. Nguyen Kim Loan (third from right) gives donations to workers identified as F1 contact to Covid-19 infection via representative of Dunlopillo (Vietnam) Co. Ltd. at VSIP 1 in Thuan An city

Assistance offered to Trade Union officials participating in Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control

By the end of June 23, about 4,300 workers were deemed to be affected by the Covid-19 epidemic in the province. The provincial Trade Union has made efforts to implement the decision of the Vietnamese General Trade Union on emergency support for union members and employees affected by the Covid-19 epidemic during the 4th outbreak. According to the above decision, F0 workers would be offered VND 3 million a person and F1 VND 1.5 million a person. In addition, other workers receiving support are those in difficulties, pregnant female employees, and those who are raising children under 6 months old. Workers forced to quit their jobs because they are residing in quarantine areas at the request of competent State agencies are entitled to a maximum offer of VND 500,000 a person.

In addition, the provincial Trade Union has also donated for trade union officials participating in epidemic prevention and control in the epidemic area in the 4th outbreak including people on duty directly to propagate and campaign for inspection and supervision of disease prevention and control at enterprises and industrial parks. Participation in supporting tracing, testing, and coercive medical isolation has been made to review and make statistics of employees in quarantine and blockade areas. Gifts are given and distributed to directly support union members and employees in quarantine and blockade areas. Accordingly, for full-time staff of the trade union at the grassroots, the offer is from VND 100,000 to 150,000 a person a day when participating in the task of disease prevention. Trade union officials at grassroots level, trade union members at enterprises, agencies and units are offered from VND 80,000 to 120,000 a day. Trade union officials involved in disease prevention and control and are infected with Covid-19 (F0) or have to comply with concentrated medical quarantine measures are also entitled to appropriate support regimes.

As per regulation, each object is offered help only once. F0 and F1 who are being treated for illness, quarantined or blockaded under the management of the superior trade union shall be listed and offered support. The grassroots trade unions and trade unions are responsible for communicating and coordinating to ensure the interests of union members and employees. Specific criteria for difficult circumstances are considered by the Standing Committee of the Trade Union at all levels to balance the union finances of the unit to implement.

Money offered to workers

Talking to us about taking care of workers affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, Ms. Nguyen Kim Loan, Chairwoman of the provincial Trade Union, said that according to the instructions for implementing Decision No. 2606/QD-TLD dated May 19, 2021 of the Vietnamese General Trade Union on the beneficiaries of this 4th wave of epidemic support, the Trade Unions of districts, towns and cities are financially balanced to spend, so the money will be quickly given to the workers. “Based on these guidelines, the Trade Unions of districts, towns, cities have relatively balanced the assigned estimates in 2021 to develop an implementation plan. In case the revenue and expenditure cannot be balanced, they would use the reserve fund in 2021 and the accumulated trade union finance in 2020 or request the provincial Trade Union for support," said Ms. Loan.

Based on the guidance of the provincial Trade Union, in the afternoon of June 23, many localities have given money to help workers affected by the epidemic. Mr. Doan Nam Le Thien, Deputy Chairman of Di An city Trade Union, said that following the guidance of trade unions at all levels, during this 4th epidemic wave, Di An city Trade Union has offered to the forces serving on the frontline against the Covid-19 epidemic at medical facilities, field hospitals, and concentrated quarantine areas at an amount of VND 70 million. In addition, the city's trade union has mobilized trade unions and businesses to donate necessities, food and drinking water for units and blockade areas equivalent to the amount of VND 300 million. At the same time, the unit has coordinated with sectors and units to review trade union members and employees affected by the Covid 19 epidemic (the F0 and F1 cases) to promptly support according to the regulations.

Along with that, Di An city Trade Union also continued to mobilize businesses and trade unions to join hands to contribute to the province's Covid-19 disease prevention and control fund as well as the program of vaccines for workers. Businesses are mobilized to register to buy Covid-19 vaccines for their own workers and propagate and promote the prevention of Covid-19 epidemic in the new situation.  “Di An city Trade Union has helped more than 10 cases of F1 who are workers by the amount of VND 1.5 million a person. The rest that are being quarantined will be given in the near future," Mr. Thien said.

According to statistics, dozens of other F1 cases in localities such as Thuan An city, Tan Uyen town, and Ben Cat town have also received support. The localities are conducting a review under the guidance of the superior trade union to continue to support employees in the coming time.

Reported by Quang Tam - Translated by Vi Bao