No worker left behind

This has added joy and motivation for workers to have a warmer and more fulfilling Tet holiday before entering a new working year.

Bringing Tet to poor boarding houses

We met Ms. Nguyen Thi Kien (born in 1993), when we followed the Trade Union of Minh Anh Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company and Nghe An Provincial Youth Union togive gifts to workers in difficult circumstancesbefore Tet holiday. The rented room is nearly 14m wide.²is where mother and child relied on each other during the years she left her hometown Anh Son to work in Vinh city.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kien (born in 1993, hometown Khai Son commune, Anh Son district) is a worker in difficult circumstances who was visited at her rented room before Tet holiday. Photo: Thanh Quynh

It is known that she lost her parents at a young age. She grew up under the protection of her brother, relatives and neighbors. However, when she reached the age of marriage, her marital happiness was not complete, making her a single mother at the age of 27.

Although her child is now over 2 years old, she has never stopped being sick. The life of the mother and child is a series of tiring trips to and from the hospital. In 2022, when her health showed signs of deterioration, she went to the doctor and was told that she had uterine cancer and had to undergo surgery 3 months ago. Having to face a series of difficulties, there was a time when Ms. Kien fell into a state of despair.

In the last days of the year, comrade Kha Van Tam - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation and representatives of trade unions at all levels visited, grasped the aspirations and Tet bonus regimes at many business units in the province. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Understanding that, colleagues in the factory, the Company's Trade Union and the Provincial Labor Federation have shown timely concern and shared spiritual and material support. In particular, when she was hospitalized for surgery, the trade union and workers in the factory mobilized and donated money to support her with additional medical expenses.

The company also created conditions for her to take an additional 10 days off to recover her health. Regarding the place where she was staying, with the encouragement of the trade unions at all levels, the landlord sympathized and almost every month reduced the rent for the mother and child. That timely support and sharing helped her and her child to have more motivation to live.

Cherishing the meaningful gift she received before Tet, Ms. Kien tearfully said: “Because my parents are no longer here, this Tet, my mother and I will go to my brother's house in Khai Son commune, Anh Son district to celebrate Tet. I have not had any extra money in the whole year, so I don't know how to manage when Tet comes. However, thanks to the gifts and timely encouragement, I feel that Tet has come to my heart. It is a joy to step into the new year more fully."

Mr. Tran Thanh Thong (worker of the Weaving Workshop, Minh Anh Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company, second from left) emotionally shared his joys and sorrows in the past year. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Although happy with a full family, Mr. Tran Thanh Thong (a worker at the Weaving Workshop, Minh Anh Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company) still carries a heavy burden of grief when his newborn child, less than a month old, was diagnosed with mental retardation. In the rented room at Lane 137, Dang Thai Mai Street (Hung Dong Commune, Vinh City), the couple was both happy and sad when the working delegation came to visit and encourage them.

“The support, no matter how little or much, from groups and individuals means a lot to us poor workers. Going through a difficult period due to the Covid-19 pandemic and market fluctuations at the end of the year made us very worried. However, we are happy to continuously receive gifts and support programs at our workplace and even where we live. That concern is the motivation for us to strive to rise up, work hard, and produce to stabilize our lives in the long term,” Mr. Thong confided.

Saying goodbye to the temporary dormitories of workers, many members of the delegation were moved by the hardships and difficulties that many workers are going through. Although the Tet gifts were not of great material value, they somehow made them feel warm and comforted in the face of difficulties and deprivation.

"Together we make Tet"

In mid-January, hundreds of workers excitedly gathered at Bac Vinh Industrial Park (Vinh city) to participate in many meaningful activities during the last days of the year in the program.“Together we make Tet 2023”This is considered one of the large-scale programs for workers organized by the Central Youth Union in coordination with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and business units. Here, 800 workers were given meaningful gifts.

Many meaningful gifts were given to workers at the program "Together to Make Tet 2023".

Smiling after receiving gifts from the program, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen - a worker at Minh Anh Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company and her friends at Vinh City Green Park Joint Stock Company seemed to be motivated. Ms. Huyen excitedly shared: "I have been a garment worker for 3 years, often working overtime to earn 7-8 million VND/month, my husband is a freelancer so raising two children to study is still lacking. Therefore, the gifts from the program are a way to share with the workers' situation, as well as an encouragement for workers with excellent achievements, helping me to make more efforts at work".

At the end of the year, workers can participate in many meaningful cultural and artistic exchange activities. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Comrade Kha Van Tam - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation shared: "Together to Make Tet" is a program with great social significance and profound humanity, joining hands with the Trade Union organization and the whole society to support and care for disadvantaged workers, so that everyone can have a warm Tet. The program's activities aim to convey the message associated with the Government's desire to "leave no one behind".

During the Spring Festival of Quy Mao 2023, Nghe An Trade Union plans to spend 8.5 billion VND from the budget of the Trade Union organization to support about 17,000 workers and laborers. In addition, the Provincial Labor Federation also allocated operating expenses and donated 5 billion VND to respond to the program "Tet for the poor Spring of Quy Mao 2023". This is the sentiment, responsibility, and sharing of the Trade Union organization for workers in difficult circumstances so that everyone can be encouraged, shared, and have a warm and peaceful Tet.