To ensure that workers have a warm and sufficient Lunar New Year celebration

Despite facing numerous production difficulties, most businesses in the province have ensured salaries and year-end bonuses for their employees. Many grassroots trade unions have planned recreational activities for workers, along with support for Tet gifts and lucky draw programs, particularly focusing on workers in difficult circumstances.

Efforts to maintain the 13th-month salary

Despite a lack of production orders in 2023, the wood, textile, and leather footwear industry group has made significant efforts to take care of the workers' livelihoods at the end of the year.

Mr. Tran Sy Hiep, Chairman of the grassroots trade union of Mekong Interior Company Limited in Thu Dau Mot city, shared: Overall, the income of union members and workers has decreased due to the limited amount of overtime hours compared to previous years, but the company still has activities to take care of the laborers to overcome this difficult period, which is a monthly provision that all workers receive in the form of rice, instant noodles, cooking oil, soy sauce. The grassroots union of the company also organizes various sports activities, singing performances, and awards scholarships at the beginning of the new school year for the children of disadvantaged workers.

Compass II Co., Ltd regularly engages in activities to take care of both the material and spiritual well-being of its employees and has a plan to ensure a joyful Lunar New Year for its workers.

Speaking about salaries and year-end bonuses, Mr. Tran Sy Hiep stated: "The workers are very excited that the Lunar New Year care activities are being maintained as in previous years. This includes the continuation of the 13th-month salary and the provision of Tet gifts. Employees facing difficult circumstances will receive even better care from the grassroots trade union and company leadership. The company's leadership is balancing finances to provide Tet bonuses outside of the 13th-month salary. Depending on the position, title, and skills of the workers, the company will offer corresponding Tet bonuses. Overall, despite facing numerous production difficulties throughout the year, it is commendable that the company has maintained such caring policies.”

Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat, Director of Nhat Nam Mechanical Plywood Company (Ben Cat Town), shared that despite being in the wood industry, the company has chosen a unique direction in producing curved plywood, a product that very few enterprises can manufacture. In previous years, the company exported a significant number of products to markets such as the United States, Japan, and Europe. However, in 2023, the company encountered general difficulties in production for the first time. The company's products, despite having their own unique characteristics of receiving production orders for multiple businesses and markets, are affected when consumer demand decreases and the production of finished goods is reduced. One thing we are always proud of is taking good care of salaries, bonuses, and benefits for our members and workers," said Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat. In addition to the Tet holiday activities, the 13th-month salary is mandatory. From now until the end of the year, the company will balance its finances to provide additional bonuses.

In Tan Uyen city, where the largest wood production enterprises in the province are concentrated, despite heavy impacts on orders, businesses are still making efforts to take care of their workers during the Lunar New Year. A typical example is Response VN Co. Ltd. in Uyen Hung Industrial Cluster, which has faced numerous difficulties in exporting products to the European market since the COVID-19 pandemic, the company primarily focuses on job creation to retain its workforce while ensuring the well-being of its employees. Mr. Le Van Bien, Chairman of the company's labor union, said: "I have just had a discussion with the head of the human resources department about the Tet bonus for workers this year. Despite the challenges in production, the company ensures that everyone will receive a 13th-month salary. If the company's income for the remaining two months of the year is better, the Tet bonus may be increased in addition to the 13th-month salary. The company has planned and ensured that employees have a warm and happy Lunar New Year with various bonus programs such as cake gifts, intimate year-end meal programs, lucky draw prizes including motorcycles, televisions, refrigerators, hot water dispensers, electric rice cookers, etc.”

Creating end-of-year playgrounds

In addition to end-of-year bonuses, in recent days, many grassroots trade unions have also been planning to take care of the lives of workers through various meaningful recreational programs during the Tet holiday. Mr. Tran Ngoc Vinh, Chairman of the grassroots trade union of Thien Nam Investment and Development Joint Stock Company in Di An city, shared: "In addition to the 13th-month salary, the company's leadership is considering providing a separate Tet bonus for workers and employees.

The grassroots trade union of the company also has plans to organize an intimate meal program for all workers, along with standing parties and various year-end cultural programs, providing a platform for those who are passionate about singing. Additionally, we have set up a large zero-dong booth, amounting to hundreds of millions of dong, mainly focusing on Tet clothing to support the company's workers. In addition to the support from company leadership, we have partnered with numerous textile businesses to provide thousands of new sets of clothing for workers. The grassroots union also distributed Tet gifts to all workers, with a total quantity reaching thousands.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Duy Phuong, Chairman of the Trade Union of Compass II Co., Ltd. (Thuận An City), stated that the company's end-of-year production volume is significant, so employees can work until the 29th of the Lunar New Year. To take care of the workers' livelihoods, the company provides a 13th-month salary, Tet bonuses, intimate meal programs, and lucky draw prizes. “In the prize draw program, we do not award motorbikes, televisions, or refrigerators as usual, but instead give out money, as the workers are facing common difficulties this year and need funds for expenses," said Mr. Phuong.

To ensure that all workers in the area have a Lunar New Year celebration, recently, the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting with departments and agencies to implement a program to take care of the holiday for all individuals. This year, the province will allocate an additional 1,000 gifts for union members and workers compared to 2023. According to statistics from the Provincial Labor Union, the number of workers facing difficult circumstances and unable to return home for the holiday will increase from 20,000 to 50,000 workers this year (compared to 400,000 workers staying in Binh Duong for the holiday in 2023). Thereby, the provincial Trade Union has a meticulous plan to take care of Tet for all workers staying in Binh Duong with the financial support from the provincial trade union and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor. Along with that, the unit maximizes social resources and the support of philanthropists in the province to take care of the target groups.

Reported by Quang Tam – Translated by Vi Bao