Trade union organisations working their best for pandemic-hit workers

For nearly two years, COVID-19 has been spreading to many provinces and cities, and has seriously affected all aspects of life, in which workers are the hardest hit.

The current outbreak has descended on some industrial parks. According to a rough estimate, there are now more than 36,000 workers infected with the virus, along with 600,000 others who are close contacts of those with COVID-19 or are living in isolated areas. The dangerous and prolonged pandemic has forced millions of workers to suffer job losses and cuts, making their lives harder.

Along with the frontline forces, trade union officials have carried out various substantive activities to support workers in a timely manner, thus helping to ensure social security during the battle against COVID-19.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) has decided to use its funds to support workers, waive membership fees for low-income workers, postpone fees for struggling enterprises, and finance meals for healthcare workers on the frontline in 19 southern provinces and cities under strict social distancing measures.

Trade unions at all levels have provided millions of gifts, including essential goods and meals, to workers. To date, around VND4 trillion (US$175 million) has been spent by trade union organisations to take care of workers and frontline forces.

With various initiatives to support workers, the gifts, which have been promptly handed directly to workers, have helped their lives be less difficult.

Recently, the VGCL decided to provide meals to support its members who are undergoing the model of sleeping at the factories in localities where strict social distancing measures are imposed, aiming to help maintain production chains and prevent disruptions. It is estimated that more than 1 million workers will benefit from the programme, with total assistance of over VND1 trillion (US$43.8 million). It is an apt and timely decision of the trade union in caring for the lives of workers.

On August 25, the VGCL made a call for urgent support for workers affected by COVID-19 with the hope that each struggling worker will be heartened by the love of their peers and compatriots. Such support will ensure the sustenance for workers so that they do not have to worry about staying home during the social distancing period. It is also a practical response to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s call for solidarity to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the coming time, the VGCL will introduce further policies to share in the difficulties faced by its members, such that it is deserving of the reliable support of workers throughout the country.