Businesses that do not pay insurance for workers will be sentenced to 7 years in prison.

Talking to workers, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that in the future, the Social Insurance Agency will be allowed to inspect the payment of social insurance for workers. Those who evade social insurance payment can be punished with up to 7 years in prison.

Worry about price increases, worry about dirty food

Worker Trinh Anh Tuan (Binh Duong) stood up and asked: “Mr. Prime Minister, there has been a wage increase in the past and there will certainly be a wage increase policy for workers in the near future, but one of the concerns of workers is that when wages increase, prices will increase accordingly. Is there a way to reduce the difficulties for workers every day?”

In response to this question, the Prime Minister said that the State must have solutions to stabilize prices. Organize retail, serve the supply of essential goods for workers. At the same time, form many civilized markets, not allowing private traders to force down prices. When adjusting the minimum wage, the authorities also need to monitor the increase in wages according to regulations, control price increases, and not let workers' wages increase out of step with price increases.

“I want to tell you that the Government always pays attention to raising wages and improving the quality of meals for workers, so that workers' lives can be better,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Referring to workers’ income, the Prime Minister said: “On the way to the hall, I asked the workers about their income level. Some workers said 5 million VND/month, some said 10 million VND/month. However, the workers’ lives are still very difficult.”

According to the Prime Minister, when increasing the minimum wage in 2017, the National Wage Council will consider how to comply with the provisions of the Labor Code and meet the minimum living needs of workers.

Not only about salary, worker Tran Thi Hang Thu (Dong Xoai II Industrial Park, Binh Phuoc) asked: "Dear Prime Minister, currently the quality of workers' meals is low, dirty food is flooding the market, so workers are very worried that businesses are buying food that does not meet quality standards to serve meals. How can we control this situation?"

Thanking the sincere question, the Prime Minister said: “Food safety is a burning issue for us. A few days ago, we met with provincial party secretaries and leaders of provincial people's committees across the country to implement food safety policies.

Here, the workers speak out about our own pressing issues. I request that union presidents at all levels and business owners make public the menu and prices of workers’ meals at the factory. Whether the meal is 10,000 VND or 20,000 VND, or how many thousands of VND, it must be made public. Not every kilogram of meat or kilogram of rice is lost, and workers’ meals must not be cut.”

The Prime Minister requested that in order to have a clean food source, it is necessary to publicize the origin of the food that the business kitchen buys, which market, which supermarket. “Without health, it is impossible to reproduce labor, so meals for workers must be clean. Wherever food poisoning occurs, the local authorities must take responsibility,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits female workers about their current life and income - Photo: Ha Mi

"Legitimate wishes"

Coming from Long An province, Ms. Trinh Thi Mai Thanh talked about another concern of workers: housing and kindergarten for their children. She said: “With the current low income, saving up to buy a small house is still a dream for workers. Sending children to kindergarten is still a pressing issue. What solutions will the government have to solve this situation?”

Immediately, the Prime Minister said that the Government has regulations on this issue but the implementation still has many shortcomings.

“I would like to take note of this opinion and request that industrial zones, especially localities building industrial zones, must go hand in hand with the construction of housing areas, the construction of cultural institutions, especially nurseries and kindergartens for workers’ children. The State has issued policies on social housing, low-interest loan policies to support housing, nurseries and kindergartens.

I propose that all provinces and cities promote socialization and the State provide partial support to build nurseries and kindergartens for workers' children. Do not let our workers work all day, even overtime, work all day, and give their all while their children are uneducated. This is a legitimate aspiration," said the Prime Minister.

Worker Nguyen Tan Khang asked: “Most of the workers in industrial zones today are people who are far from home and are young, so the need for entertainment and culture after work is very large. What direction does the Prime Minister have to solve this problem?”

The Prime Minister explained that the need for entertainment and culture is a legitimate need of all citizens and workers. The Government has issued a project on developing spiritual and cultural life. Many localities have done well, such as Vinh Phuc, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong, but this is still a weak link.

The Prime Minister also said that in the conversation with the workers, there were the head of the Central Propaganda Department, the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee... Localities and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor are responsible for checking whether this project has actually been implemented. "I have noted this opinion and will have a solution" - the Prime Minister pledged.

Worker Ho Hoang Trung (Dong Nai) asked: "As a father and uncle, does the Prime Minister have any advice for us?"

The Prime Minister reiterated the saying “with diligence, iron can be turned into needles” and then suggested that workers need to have the will, work hard, have good work awareness and practice to improve their skills. “A good career is a weapon for us in life” - the Prime Minister emphasized.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds a worker's baby boy - Photo: Ha Mi

Severe penalties for businesses that do not pay social insurance

Mr. Phan Thanh Tung (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) asked: "Dear Prime Minister, currently there are enterprises that do not pay social insurance (SI) for their employees, causing workers to suffer long-term disadvantages because they do not have a pension when they retire. Does the Prime Minister have any measures to force enterprises to pay full SI for their employees?"

The Prime Minister said: “This question is correct and hot at the moment. This issue, first of all, according to the law, all production and business establishments must pay social insurance. Most domestic and foreign enterprises do this well. But as the workers said, there are some enterprises that do not pay social insurance, affecting the legal and legitimate rights of workers.

In the near future, according to the new law, the Social Insurance agency will be able to inspect the payment of social insurance for employees.

One very important sanction is that those who evade paying social insurance can be punished with up to 7 years in prison, and businesses that evade paying social insurance can be fined up to 3 billion VND. This will be a strict punishment for individuals and units that violate social insurance, to protect the legitimate rights of workers.

According to Tuoi Tre