Warm and affectionate year-end flight

Tears of Overseas Workers

As soon as she landed at Vinh International Airport on Vietjet flight VJ210SGN-VII departing from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh at 0:30 a.m. on January 12, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang - a worker from Quynh Luu district burst into tears in the arms of her relatives.

Sharing with us, she emotionally said: “My husband passed away early, I went to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a garment worker to earn money to raise my children and treat my elderly mother. Because the company was in trouble, orders decreased, income decreased by more than half, the remaining amount was only enough to cover the cost of rent and accommodation. We thought that if we missed home too much, we would form a group to go home by motorbike. Who would have thought that the union and other units would sponsor “zero-dong” airfares, I was so happy. I was able to go home to celebrate Tet with my family.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang - a worker from Quynh Luu district, was moved to return home for Tet on a 0-dong flight. Photo: Van Tran

Like Ms. Thang, Ms. Le Thi Hanh (a worker from Vinh City) could not hold back her emotions when, after many years of working away from home, she was able to return home to visit her parents and relatives. She said, shedding tears: "The current income of my husband and I is only 1/3 of what it was before. We try to arrange our expenses for rent, food, and school fees for our 2 children. It has been 7 years since I have been able to return to my hometown. No matter how much I miss you, talking over the phone is not as good as talking in person. I am so happy, everyone."

Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoang, from Huong Son, Ha Tinh province, shared: "My wife and I have not been back to our hometown for 17 years. The grandchildren have not met their grandparents, the brother has not met his sister, the children have not met their father. Both husband and wife are workers, the children are still young, the Covid-19 pandemic has reduced jobs in recent years, and income has been greatly affected. The burden of making a living has prevented my wife and I from reuniting with our family for many years. Fortunately, the union and sponsors have supported us with tickets and gifts. Thank you to the union organization, thank you to the thoughtful and warm welcome of the Nghe An Union officials."

Mr. Nguyen Danh Hoang, from Huong Son (Ha Tinh) - the lucky person who was able to return home for Tet on a 0 VND flight. Photo: Van Tran

Holding her child in one hand, pushing her suitcase and a gift bag from Nghe An Trade Union in the other, Ms. Dinh Thi Nhung shared: “I am very happy to be able to return to my hometown to reunite with my family. I feel a lot of love and affection from this ticket and this gift bag.”

Mr. Nguyen Ha shared: This is the first time in my life I have been on a plane. My dream of flying once in my life has come true.

Joy and emotion welled up in the eyes and smiles of workers and laborers returning home from the South, as well as reporters and union officials who were carefully and thoughtfully handing out gift bags filled with love and sticky rice packages that the staff of HD SAISON Finance Company Limited had thoughtfully prepared to help those far from home feel warmer in the cold weather at the end of the year.

I wish there were more programs like this.

Present since late at night, despite the drizzly, cold weather in Vinh city at the end of the year, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation Kha Van Tam, standing comrades, and experts of Nghe An Trade Union were still very enthusiastic and urgent in preparing carefully, from gift wrapping, reception place to arrangement and setting up to be the most thoughtful and warmest.

The Provincial Federation of Labor prepares gifts to give to workers returning home for Tet on the 0-dong flight. Photo: Van Tran

Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation Kha Van Tam said: “Recently, many laborers and workers have encountered difficulties in life due to the epidemic situation and the global economic crisis, leading to a shortage of orders, high input costs, many businesses have had to cut production, reduce working hours, and workers' income has been severely affected.

Understanding and sharing with workers, the trade union has coordinated with HD SAISON Finance Company Limited and Vietjet Air Joint Stock Company to sponsor organizations to help workers living far away from home return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet and reunite with their families. On this flight, workers and laborers are not only supported with free air tickets but also receive New Year greetings from sponsors, given shirts, lucky money gifts, and lucky draws, etc.Nghe An Trade Unionpresented 230 gift bags, worth 300,000 VND/bag to 230 workers and laborers.

According to the workers and laborers returning this time, not many people are lucky enough to get free plane tickets like them. There are still many workers in difficult circumstances who cannot return home for Tet. Hopefully, in the coming time, the trade union, political and social organizations, and authorities at all levels will pay more attention to have more flights like this to bring workers in difficult circumstances who want to return home to celebrate Tet with their families.

The Provincial Federation of Labor presented gifts to 230 workers returning home for Tet on a 0-dong flight. Photo: Van Tran

Free flights have become bright spots, fires that help workers gain more strength to overcome difficulties, continue working, contributing, bringing good values ​​to themselves, their families and society. From there, union members and workers have more trust and attachment to the trade union organization.