Joy and concern for workers

Bridges of peace

At Kido Vinh Company Limited (Do Luong), employees receive child support, housing allowance based on seniority, and monthly travel allowance. On the 15th day of the first lunar month and the company's founding day, all employees are given annual leave. Each year, the company's union will award 20 savings books, each worth VND5 million, to 20 union members in the most difficult circumstances. Although the Government has not adjusted the regional minimum wage, the company has increased the basic salary for employees by VND100,000 since 2021...

Working as a union officer since the early days of the company's establishment, Ms. Ngoc Anh has made many contributions to improving the lives of workers. Photo: NVCC

To get these benefits and policies, the Executive Board of the Trade Union must be truly strong, truly have a voice, and become a bridge between business owners and workers. As a member of the Executive Board of the Trade Union of the company since its inception, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh is an important link on this special bridge.

Position ofunion organizationKido Vinh Company Limited began to be affirmed from 2 consecutive strikes in the first 2 years of the company's establishment. Ms. Ngoc Anh recalled: "The company was established in 2012, and in both 2012 and 2013, there were strikes related to the salary and meal allowance regime for workers. The company was newly established, and was the largest enterprise in the area at that time, if this issue was not handled well, it would lead to many consequences. Listening to the problems of the workers, the union officials explained to them in detail the reasons for the difference in salary coefficients, directly went to consult the regimes of similar enterprises and proposed reasonable changes to the company's leaders."

After those two strikes, all the conflicts between workers and employees were resolved, the company's union grew stronger and was recognized. "One of the advantages we have is that the union officials are also workers, directly participating in production and meeting workers every day, easily grasping all the thoughts and aspirations of the workers. Once grasped, the union officials must consider whether those opinions are reasonable, if not, how to tell the workers, if so, how to negotiate with the company's leaders. Besides, the Do Luong District Labor Federation has supported us a lot in terms of experience in handling these issues," Ms. Ngoc Anh shared.

Common difficulties of thoseFDI enterprisesis the difference in language and culture between employers and employees. In addition, the larger the enterprise, the more workers, the smaller changes in the regime for each individual will become huge expenses for the enterprise. Therefore, behind the small changes to improve the lives of workers are the enormous efforts of the Executive Board of the trade union. There are regimes that take years to convince, regulations that have been negotiated countless times, programs that take a lot of effort... Only when union officials are truly for the workers, truly devoted to the trade union organization, can they persevere like that.

Still love, still worry

Talking about the joys during her time as a union official, Ms. Ngoc Anh’s voice seemed to soften. Her joys were almost all associated with emotional moments of joy and sadness of the workers.

Ms. Ngoc Anh (standing 4th from left) at the handover ceremony of the union house to the company's union members. Photo: NVCC

That was the moment of handing over 20 savings books to union members in difficult circumstances. Since 2015, every handover ceremony has made workers cry - tears of gratitude from the recipients and tears of sharing from their colleagues. That is the excitement and joy of workers during each annual sports and cultural festival. Ms. Ngoc Anh understands that those programs are spiritual food, the factor that nurtures positive emotions for workers. Those are the feelings of bursting happiness of workers when receiving good news about changes in regimes, salaries, etc. "The joy of workers is also the happiness of union officials. That happiness is simple but makes us more proud of our work", Ms. Ngoc Anh confided...

Not only bring benefits toworkerIn the company, the policies and benefits that the company's union has built have spread and influenced other businesses in the area.

Kido Vinh Co., Ltd.'s Youth Union members prepare clothes to support the central provinces affected by floods. Photo: NVCC

Although she has reaped many joys, Ms. Ngoc Anh also has many concerns. She said: “Most union officials are part-time and young, so they do not have much experience or skills in conflict resolution, negotiation, communication... When workers still need to use suggestion boxes to express their opinions, it means that the union does not really understand them. Besides, some workers still do not understand the meaning of union fees, do not want to pay union fees but always demand many benefits, lack of collective spirit...”.

Saying goodbye to her role as a company union officer, Ms. Ngoc Anh carries with her the concern of how to help workers earn more income, improve their lives, how to make savings books more valuable, and how to make programs for workers more diverse... "Although I am no longer a union officer, in my position as a person in the human resources department, I will continue to accompany the union organization and workers. Because I have grown up from the union and I am also a worker", Ms. Ngoc Anh shared.

During nearly 10 years of union activities, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh's contributions have been recognized by all levels of unions. She has received 10 Certificates of Merit from the District Labor Federation, 4 Certificates of Merit from the Provincial Labor Federation and 1 Certificate of Merit from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.