Concentrating resources on taking care of the welfare of union members and workers
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has just held a workshop to collect opinions on the draft program to implement Resolution No. 07/NQ-BCH dated August 29, 2024 of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on "Focusing resources on caring for the welfare of union members and workers in the new situation". Nearly 50 union officials in the southern provinces and cities attended the workshop.
Helping millions of union members and workers reduce difficulties
Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Ha - Member of the Presidium, Head of the Labor Relations Department of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor - said that the care for union members and employees has been organized regularly and continuously in recent years. Programs such as "Tet Sum Vay", "Tram Tinh Tinh", "Workers' Festival - Market of Love", "Union Shelter" ... implemented by the Trade Union organization have helped millions of union members and workers benefit, reducing difficulties in life. "Welfare for union members" programs widely deployed nationwide have become a brand of the union organization and have been supported by businesses, union members, and employees...
The care for union members and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic for enterprises with reduced orders has been highly appreciated by leaders of the Party, State, union members, employees, business owners and the social community.
However, in the new situation, caring requires a long-term, fundamental program for union members and workers as instructed by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong when giving a speech at the 13th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor: "The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor needs to pay attention to researching and developing long-term welfare programs; focusing on caring for and comprehensively supporting union members and workers, especially those in difficult circumstances, those who have work-related accidents, occupational diseases, and long-term illnesses".
Resolutely require businesses to pay full union fees
The representative of the Da Nang City Labor Federation proposed to increase the rate of union members who are fully informed about the policies and programs for welfare care of union organizations to 100%; the program of the union at the level directly above the grassroots level organizing "Tet Sum Vay" to 50% and the number of labor cases filing in court supported by the union and participating in litigation to protect them when required to 100%.
Sharing this view, Mr. Pham Chi Tam - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation - said that currently, 100% of direct superior trade unions in Ho Chi Minh City have organized the "Tet Sum Vay" program, so it is also necessary to increase the percentage of trade unions directly above the grassroots level organizing the "Tet Sum Vay" program. At the same time, it agreed with the proposal that 100% of labor cases filed in court should be supported by the Union and participated in legal proceedings to protect them when required, because according to current regulations, the Union has the right to pay the hire of lawyers to protect union members and employees. In the near future, the establishment of consulting and support centers for employees will have more resources to protect employees.
Mr. Tam also recommended that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor should organize a separate e-commerce trading floor, including incentives for union members and employees when purchasing goods on this trading floor. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor needs to have a policy to support preschool teachers who have to leave early and return late to look after the children of workers in export processing zones and industrial parks sent to schools and childcare groups.
Mr. Tam also added that currently, Ho Chi Minh City is very determined in requiring the direct superior trade union to collect union fees.
In particular, Mr. Nguyen Huu Giang - Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial Federation of Labor - shared that in An Giang, there are enterprises that owe union funds from 2006 to 2023 over 30 billion VND. The union has repeatedly requested the enterprise to pay the full union fee, but the enterprise has not done so. The Trade Union has met with the provincial authorities and requested the provincial Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to conduct a surprise inspection. The inspection process will record and give the enterprise reasonable time to correct. However, the enterprise still did not comply.
"Up to that time, the Trade Union will prepare to sue the enterprise in court, and by the end of 2023, the enterprise will have paid the full amount of the outstanding Trade Union fee. Therefore, there needs to be a drastic solution for businesses that do not pay or are late in paying union fees, Mr. Giang suggested.
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor also summarized 10 years (2015 - 2024) of implementing the "Tet Sum Vay" program. The report at the conference said that, up to February 2024, there were 186,944 "Tet Sum Vay" programs organized at all union levels, attracting over 33 million union members and employees to participate. The programs have given gifts to over 26.2 million union members and workers in difficult circumstances with a total amount of over VND 10,617 billion, of which nearly VND 5,847 billion was mobilized from socialized sources (accounting for 55%).
