Need to restart worker housing project
(Baonghean.vn) - "Our workers are still suffering too much. We went to check and saw workers working in noisy, dusty, hot environments during the summer months" - Mr. Nguyen Chi Cong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Federation of Labor said and emphasized that there must be drastic solutions to overcome this situation, ensuring the rights of workers.
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| Comrades:Huynh Thanh Dien - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Tu Phuong - Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation co-chaired the meeting. Also attending were representatives of relevant departments and branches. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
On the morning of June 7, at the meeting between the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Federation of Labor to evaluate the results of cooperation in 2017 and the first 6 months of 2018, and deploy the cooperation program in the coming time, besides evaluating the positive results achieved, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Federation of Labor Nguyen Chi Cong frankly pointed out the shortcomings and limitations.
Accordingly, Mr. Cong said that in the past, the coordination with the Department of Health to monitor the quality of food safety and hygiene of workers' meals at enterprises has not been implemented. Meanwhile, the quality of meals is one of the reasons leading to strikes.
Through monitoring during the recent Workers’ Month and on-site inspections at a number of enterprises, the Provincial Federation of Labor found that the working environment for workers and laborers is still not guaranteed. During the summer months, workers still have to work amidst noise, dust, and hot air.
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| Representatives of the Provincial Federation of Labor raised many practical issues regarding the working environment, food safety and hygiene... of workers at enterprises. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
In addition, the report assessing the coordination between the two sides also pointed out that the coordination in directing the implementation of Decree No. 60/ND-CP of the Government regulating dialogue at the workplace is not really effective.
The direction of workers' conferences in some districts and sectors has not received due attention, leading to low quality in some units, especially in enterprises; the rate of workers' conferences is still low, therefore, the rights and responsibilities of workers participating in enterprise management have not been fully promoted.
Agreeing with some of the contents mentioned by the Provincial Federation of Labor, Mr. Phan Xuan Hoa - Deputy Head of the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone further analyzed: Currently, the Southeast Economic Zone has 18,500 workers and is expected to increase further, posing an urgent problem of housing.
According to a survey, in 2017, the average salary of workers in the Southeast Economic Zone was about 5.5 million VND/month. This amount is just enough to pay for rent and basic living needs, workers' lives are still difficult.
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| Workers at BSE Company, Dong Nam Economic Zone. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
Mr. Hoa said that in 2013, the Southeast Economic Zone proposed a pilot project for housing workers with a total investment of about 60 billion VND; by 2014, the Provincial People's Committee had allocated 5 billion VND, then stopped due to financial difficulties. Now, facing the increasingly urgent needs of tens of thousands of workers, Mr. Phan Xuan Hoa suggested that the province restart the housing project.
At the meeting, the Provincial Federation of Labor also made a number of recommendations and proposals to the Provincial People's Committee on the issue of ensuring occupational safety and hygiene; food safety and hygiene for shift meals; supporting operating costs for the Federation of Labor of districts, cities, towns, and industry unions; promoting the establishment of grassroots unions and developing union members in VSIP Industrial Park, etc.
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| Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Thanh Dien concluded the meeting. Photo: Phuoc Anh |
Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Thanh Dien assessed that the coordination between the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Federation of Labor has become increasingly close and effective. In the coming time, the two sides need to coordinate more closely to participate in developing policies related to workers, civil servants, and laborers; effectively implementing the grassroots democracy regulations; and emulation movements launched by trade unions at all levels.
In addition, comrade Huynh Thanh Dien also requested departments and branches to coordinate smoothly to remove difficulties and obstacles from practice, especially issues related to labor contracts, housing for workers, food safety and hygiene for shift meals, ensuring a safe working environment...