Nghe An Trade Union accompanies workers to overcome difficulties during the pandemic

Unprecedented difficulties

In the final report in 2020 of the Provincial Federation of Labor on the situation of businesses and workers affected byCovid-19 epidemic, there are the following numbers and bullet points: 4,805 workers at 42 businesses temporarily laid off; Tourism sector: No customers, revenue decreased by 100%; Restaurant and hotel sector: No customers, wedding parties, conferences decreased (orders requested to terminate contracts); Petroleum business sector: Sales decreased by 30%.

The transportation business is facing many difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Duc Anh

Non-public schools mainly earn income from tuition fees from students, but students are absent from school for a long time so they cannot collect any money, leading to teachers taking unpaid leave but still having to pay insurance, which is very difficult. 82/82 non-public schools had to close, temporarily close, or dissolve; 8,971/8,971 officials, employees, and workers have not been paid from January 2020 to April 2020; 22 officials, employees, and workers had their contracts terminated.

SomeFDI enterprisesfacing great difficulties in human resources management because key leaders who returned home for Tet holiday have not been able to return to Vietnam; textile and garment companies importing raw materials from abroad are facing difficulties and increased input material costs; the consumer market is seriously affected...

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, some businesses have had to close due to "blocked" output, while others are operating at a standstill due to dependence on imported raw materials. Photo: Thanh Phuc

In the first 6 months of 2020, production and business activities of enterprises in the area were mostly affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the income of employees in enterprises was low, averaging 4,000,000 - 4,200,000 VND/person/month. Many enterprises lacked work, applied a rotating leave regime, working 4-5 days/week (about more than 9,000 employees were affected).

Mr. Tran Van Quang - a tenant atIndustrial ParkBac Vinh confided about the difficult time due to the Covid-19 pandemic: “My wife is a worker at a garment company, I am a freelance worker in the mechanical industry. The outbreak and prolonged epidemic made me unemployed. During the days of social distancing, the life of the couple and their young child became extremely difficult and poor, worrying about today's meal tomorrow, just hoping that this period would pass quickly”. The very real confession of Mr. Tran Van Quang is the common situation of thousands of workers and laborers in the province in recent times.

Efforts to accompany workers

Faced with this situation, the trade union immediately took action to lift the spirits and provide material support to workers. With the spirit of “Fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy”,Provincial Federation of Laborhas continuously directed trade unions at all levels to actively participate in disease prevention and control through specific documents, related to the implementation of new solutions in phase 2 of the fight against Covid-19 in trade unions at all levels; surveyed the situation of wages, life, and employment of workers affected by the Covid-19 epidemic; reported on the number of employees participating in social insurance who had to temporarily stop paying due to the Covid-19 epidemic; supported the Covid-19 prevention and control fund; delayed the payment of trade union fees for businesses affected by the Covid-19 epidemic...

The Provincial Federation of Labor has continuously carried out activities to support workers affected by Covid-19. Photo: Document

In addition, trade unions at all levels have actively coordinated with professionals to organize sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization of the working environment, coordinated with employers to ensure food safety and hygiene, environmental sanitation, monitor the health of workers, distribute propaganda documents on mass media, coordinate with medical centers at the same level, organizations and unions in the area to conduct screening of workers working abroad, workers who have just returned to the country, and workers working at enterprises with foreign workers...

To provide economic and material support to workers, trade unions at all levels have mobilized workers, civil servants, and employees to support in many ways to support the medical team, doctors, and soldiers on the front lines of disease prevention and control and to support businesses and workers. By the end of November 2020, trade unions at all levels in the province have called on union members to participate in supporting disease prevention and control.fight against Covid-19from the union's budget is over 20 billion VND. Of which, the Provincial Federation of Labor directly supported the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee and visited frontline units participating in epidemic prevention and control with 68.7 million VND; gave gifts and supported workers affected by the Covid-19 epidemic with 1.703 billion VND. District Federations of Labor and industry unions supported over 2 billion VND. Union members and workers supported via text messages, cash, and material support converted into money with more than 16.8 billion VND...

Mr. Dang Van Hai - Chairman of the Provincial Education Trade Union presented gifts to non-public teachers. Photo: Document

After directing the Labor Federations of districts, cities and towns to coordinate in monitoring, inspecting and evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of Resolution 42/CP on supporting people in difficulty due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Provincial Labor Federation decided to support 1,000 gifts for 1,000 union members in difficult circumstances and affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with a total subsidy of 703 million VND; organize 4 delegations to visit and present gifts to 10 workers in especially difficult circumstances affected by the pandemic; visit and present gifts to 129 officials, employees and workers of the Health sector union; receive and distribute gifts in kind to union members affected by the pandemic...

“In response to the wishes and desires of officials, teachers, and employees in non-public educational institutions, the Provincial Federation of Labor has given its opinion on the payment of benefits from the Government's support package to employees affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Understanding the difficulties of employees in enterprises, the Provincial Federation of Labor has proposed deferring social insurance payments and not calculating interest during the epidemic months, exempting unemployment insurance payments, resolving unemployment insurance benefits during periods of unemployment and no income; requesting the province to have solutions and policies to stimulate tourism during and after the epidemic to attract visitors, and having policies to support tax reduction or exemption of taxes payable by enterprises…”

Mr. Nguyen Chi Cong - Vice President of Labor Federation

Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation Kha Van Tam presents gifts to support workers affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Diep Thanh

Lunar New Year is approaching. The Covid-19 pandemic is becoming more complicated these days and the fight against the pandemic is still full of hardships. No matter how hard or difficult it is, the support of the trade union will help workers have more support.