Written in the workers' dormitory.

The rented rooms lacked everything.

I met Ms. Ha Thi Phuong's family during a trip I took with a delegation.Labor UnionThe provincial authorities came to give gifts to workers in private lodging houses near the Bac Vinh Industrial Zone (Hung Tay commune, Hung Nguyen district). It was 6 pm, and while other rooms were busy cooking, Mr. Cuong and Ms. Phuong seemed more relaxed, chatting in the hallway and calling their child. While caressing her child through the phone screen, Ms. Phuong said, “When the baby was 14 months old, my husband and I sent her to her grandparents in Que Phong and came down here. It’s been almost 5 months since we started working and haven’t seen her. We miss her so much!”

Ms. Phuong and her husband call their child after work. Photo: Diep Thanh

Being far from home, children, and even spouses is a common situation for many migrant workers living in rented accommodations. For them, the time of day when the longing becomes most intense is probably in the late afternoon, with the sound of rice boiling and the clatter of knives and cutting boards.

The row of rental rooms owned by Ms. Phuong and her husband each has an area of ​​about 12-14 square meters.²The room, built not long ago, still had fresh paint. However, it had a corrugated iron roof and was nestled among the surrounding houses. The only window, facing the side of the landlord's house, offered no breeze, and the stuffiness caused beads of sweat to form on the faces of the occupants. Phượng and her husband struggled with the heat and stuffiness of summer using a small, light blue electric fan borrowed from the landlord. Even at full power, the fan could barely cool the room.

The Provincial Labor Union visited and presented gifts to workers in rented accommodations during "Workers' Month 2022". Photo: Diep Thanh

The room at the far end of the row, with a window overlooking a small garden, is rarely a source of concern for Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen Van Tuong (workers renting rooms in Hung Tay commune, Hung Nguyen district). Instead, mosquitoes and leaks are their main worries. Mr. Tuong said: “Because our row of rental rooms was built quite a long time ago, the walls are peeling and damp. The old, patched-up drainage system and the overgrown garden around it are the reasons why there are so many mosquitoes, even though we clean regularly. On days with heavy rain, it's even worse; the rain soaks the hallway, not to mention leaks from the roof or water seeping from the walls.”

Luckily, the family members didn't have to be separated when they left.Quynh Luu districtWorking as factory workers at the VSIP Industrial Park, Ho Thi Ngan and her husband faced the challenge of having a cramped and overcrowded rented room. Their room, measuring just over 15 square meters, was a difficult situation.²The couple's house is a living space for three adults and two children: the couple, their two children, and the grandmother. With a combined monthly salary of over 10 million VND for both of them, plus 5-6 million VND for diapers and formula, they can only afford this room, accepting that some sleep on the bed while others sleep on the floor, cramped and stuffy in the sweltering summer heat. "It was already difficult when my wife was pregnant, and now that the baby is born, it's even harder. Because the heat is unbearable, my wife and I recently saved up to buy a used evaporative cooler so that the grandmother and children can sleep better. However, with this weather, even with the fan, the children still cry and get rashes on many days because of the heat," sighed Ms. Ngan's husband.

The meal of Mr. Cuong and Ms. Phuong's family consisted of some dishes they got from the company canteen. Photo: Diep Thanh.

I've witnessed the hesitation and deliberation of workers as they picked up and put down a bunch of vegetables, the wistful glances at a piece of clean meat or a fresh fish... But this time, when I happened to visit the workers during their mealtime, the scarcity, the struggle, the makeshift necessities were expressed in a different way. "Do you notice that none of the fish on this plate are whole? That's because I asked for them from lunch at the company canteen today. I don't have to go to the market and cook; just reheating these leftovers will save me some money for dinner," Ms. Lo Thi Phuong said with a smile.

It was already dark, and the rows of rented rooms were filled with the clanging of dishes as people ate their meals, when Ms. Le Thi Oanh hurriedly put away her motorbike and opened her room. Today, her company had overtime, and she hadn't had time to buy anything at the market. Grabbing a plastic basket, Ms. Oanh went to the landlord's vegetable garden. Holding the basket in one hand and picking vegetables with the other, Ms. Oanh shared: "I came here from Nghia Dan to rent a room and work here for about a year now. The landlord is kind and compassionate towards poor workers, so he lets us use his vegetable garden to improve our diet. However, we also want to protect it for him, so we only ask him for some when we're really in need."

Working overtime and returning home late, Ms. Oanh went to the landlord's garden to pick some vegetables to prepare dinner. Photo: Diep Thanh

Living with two female roommates, Oanh's dinner tonight will consist of boiled vegetables, fried eggs, and a few jars of sesame seeds and pickled vegetables brought from home. Oanh added that although the workers' dormitory is poor, everyone is very kind and friendly; anyone who goes home always makes sure to bring extra food to share with their neighbors.

We desperately need your attention.

In the hardships of working-class life, it's easy to find moments of sharing that Ms. Oanh spoke of. They give each other bunches of bananas from their hometown, packets of dried bamboo shoots, jars of pickled jackfruit, a few tomatoes, a bundle of freshly harvested peanuts, or some potatoes just dug up… This isn't just between rooms or rows of houses, but also between colleagues in the same company, between landlords and tenants. During my trip, I vividly remember a landlord feeling guilty because he didn't have enough sticky rice to give to all his tenants. The gift wasn't worth much, but how lovely and precious it was!

Officials from the Provincial Labor Federation and the Southeast Economic Zone understand the thoughts and aspirations of workers in the rented housing area. Photo: Hoang Yen

Along with the visit and the desire to accompany and support them, the gifts of a standing fan and 300,000 VND in cash that the Nghe An Provincial Labor Union unexpectedly gave to the workers carried a very special meaning. Sharing about this activity, Comrade Kha Van Tam - Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial Labor Union said: “This is the second year we have organized the “Visiting Workers' Dormitories” program and we feel that this activity is extremely practical. Only by going to where the workers live can we fully understand the difficulties and hardships they face, and understand what they need.”Providing better care, both materially and spiritually."That care must come from the whole society, from the government to businesses, from trade unions to landlords, from major policies to specific activities..."

Deeply moved by her child's gift from the Provincial Labor Federation and the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union on International Children's Day (June 1st), Ms. Ho Thi Ngan shared: “The support, however small, from collectives and individuals means a great deal to us poor workers. Having gone through a difficult period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are happy to continuously receive gifts, support programs, and good news. These include encouraging gifts, the 6.6 trillion VND support package for workers renting accommodation, and information about two projects.”social housing"For the workers. That concern is what motivates us to strive for a better life, to work hard and produce to contribute to the overall development of society."

The Chairman of the Provincial Labor Union, Mr. Kha Van Tam, presents gifts to workers renting accommodation in Hung Tay (Hung Nguyen) as part of the "Reaching Out to Workers' Accommodation" program. Photo: Diep Thanh

Understanding and empathizing with migrant workers, Ms. Tran Thi Hao, the owner of a boarding house in Hung Tay commune (Hung Nguyen district), shared: “Having rented rooms to migrant workers for many years, I understand their difficulties and limitations. Among them, many have feelings of inferiority about their position and job, and many strive but cannot escape poverty. While I know that the authorities care about workers, I believe that this care needs to be more comprehensive and decisive. It shouldn't just be about support or gifts, but about ensuring the stability of workers' lives through long-term income. When wages increase, the material and spiritual lives of workers will certainly improve.”