Why are union branch heads not entitled to monthly allowances?
(Baonghean.vn) - From being supported with monthly allowances, now the heads of the unions in the blocks, hamlets and villages in the province are only paid allowances when directly participating in the work in the blocks, hamlets and villages. This is an issue that is creating a lot of public opinion and concern.
REFLECTION FROM THE GROUNDBREAK
Before January 1, 2020, heads of mass organizations in blocks, hamlets, and villages in the province were entitled to monthly allowances according to Resolution No. 151/2014/NQ-HDND, dated December 12, 2014 of the Provincial People's Council. However, currently, heads of mass organizations in blocks, hamlets, and villages are no longer entitled to monthly allowances. This is creating a lot of public opinion and concern from the grassroots.
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| A meeting of the Women's Association of Long Son hamlet, Thanh Long commune (Thanh Chuong) chaired by Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan - Association President. |
Comrade Le Tien Xuyen - Secretary of the My Thang block Party Cell, Nghi Huong ward (Cua Lo town) said: Currently, the monthly allowance regime of the branch president has been cut, instead it is switched to the payment regime when participating in work in the block, hamlet within the total budget for the block, hamlet of 23 million VND/year for all 5 organizations (according to Resolution No. 22/2019/NQ-HDND and the payment level is specified in Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND).
Comrade Bui Van Tu - Secretary of the Party Cell of Hamlet 8, Dien Trung Commune (Dien Chau) said that the payment of allowances to the heads of mass organizations when directly participating in work in the block, hamlet, and village at the rate of 50,000 - 100,000 VND/person/day of mobilization (stipulated in Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND, dated May 27, 2020 of the Provincial People's Committee) is too low. Compared to the working day in society, such as the working day of a bricklayer, a worker is already 200,000 - 300,000 VND. With this regime and policy, it is difficult to attract people to work in the hamlet.
Comrade Nguyen Cong Chau - Vice Chairman of the People's Council of Do Luong district said that Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND only regulates the compensation regime for branch heads of mass organizations but does not include other positions.
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| Those who participate in work in the block, hamlet, and village are only entitled to compensation when they directly participate in the work of the village or residential group. In the photo: People of An Hoa commune (Quynh Luu) take care of the flower street. Illustration: Mai Hoa |
Vice Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association Tran Van Huong analyzed that currently in some localities there are two different understandings in implementing Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND. Some localities believe that associations and unions are established and operate on a voluntary basis, so they are only entitled to compensation when performing tasks assigned by the Party cell secretary and the head of the block, hamlet, and village.
The second understanding - according to comrade Huong - is that the payment of allowances to those working in the hamlet includes when performing tasks assigned by the secretary, block head, hamlet head and the work of the branches and organizations. On the other hand, the effective date of Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND is calculated from June 10, 2020, which means that the regime is enjoyed from the effective date of the decision, but there are also places that believe that the payment will be paid back in the previous period.
There are two different understandings of the content of the allowance regime.
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| People of Thanh Long commune (Thanh Chuong) participate in building rural roads. Photo: Mai Hoa |
OPERATING COST ISSUES
To clarify the issues that the public is concerned about, we discussed with comrade Ngo Tri Cuong - Deputy Head of the Department of Government Construction, Department of Home Affairs and learned that, according to Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP, dated April 24, 2019 of the Government, in the block, hamlet, and village, in addition to the three positions: Party cell secretary, Village chief or Head of residential group and Head of the Front work committee who receive monthly allowances, those who participate in the work in the block, hamlet, and village are only entitled to compensation when directly participating in the work of the village, residential group from union fees, contracted membership fees for unions and from other fund sources.
According to Central regulations, in the block, hamlet, and village, only 3 positions: Party cell secretary, block, hamlet head, and head of the Front work committee receive monthly allowances.
According to Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP, the heads of the unions in the block, hamlet, and village are not entitled to monthly allowances, which means that the allowance regime for this team according to Resolution No. 151/2014/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council cannot be applied because it is contrary to Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP. However, in order to create a source of operating funds for the block, hamlet, and village, and at the same time encourage the heads of the unions, based on the province's budget balance capacity (although Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP does not stipulate the local budget source to support compensation for those participating in the work in the block, hamlet, and village), on December 12, 2019, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 22/2019/NQ-HDND regulating the level of compensation for those directly participating in the work of the block, hamlet, and village.
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| Mr. Tran Van Binh (left of photo) - Head of the Farmers' Association of Long Bien hamlet, Thanh Long commune (Thanh Chuong) discussed with people about the efficiency of off-season peanut production. Photo: Mai Hoa |
Based on the contract level of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND, dated May 27, 2020, stipulating the allowance level for people directly participating in the work and other activities of hamlets, blocks, and villages at the level of 50,000 - 100,000 VND/person/day of direct mobilization. And the applicable subjects are those who directly participate in the work in the block and hamlet (meaning there is no control over the subjects but all those who participate in the work of the hamlet); in which, priority is given to allowances for heads of the association of the elderly, veterans, farmers, women's associations, and secretaries of the Youth Union (not paying allowances to subjects who have received allowances in Resolution No. 22/2019/NQ-HDND). And the time to implement the compensation regime is implemented from the effective date of Resolution No. 22/2019/NQ-HDND, that is, from January 1, 2020.
Regarding concerns and comparisons of the compensation level according to Decision No. 14/2020/QD-UBND with low working days in the community, Deputy Head of the Department of Home Affairs' Administrative Construction Department Ngo Tri Cuong clearly affirmed his point of view that this is compensation for people participating in work in the hamlet, not an allowance or working day.
On the same issue, speaking at the recent forum to meet voters in Dien Chau district, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien stated that this compensation level compared to the working day in society is indeed not satisfactory. However, the work that the heads of the mass organizations in the block and hamlet are undertaking should not be considered a profession but only because of responsibility to the community and trust of the people to do...
The work that the heads of the mass organizations in the block and hamlet are undertaking should not be considered a profession but only because of responsibility to the community and the trust of the people to do...
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| Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Committee,Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Councilexchange with people of Nghia Loc commune (Nghia Dan). Photo: Mai Hoa |
Giving opinions on the compensation regime for people participating in work in blocks, hamlets, and villages, Deputy Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee, Thai Thi An Chung, said that Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP associated with the implementation of Resolution 6 of the Central Committee (term XII) both require the allocation of operating expenses to organizations and unions to reduce the "burden" of the budget, while separating the activities of organizations and unions from the work of the hamlets. In reality, the operating principles of organizations and unions are voluntary, autonomous, self-managed, self-financing of operating expenses and self-responsibility. And the operating expenses of organizations and unions are based on funds and fees mobilized by organizations from members and union members and through projects and tasks undertaken to raise funds.
On the other hand, converting the monthly allowance payment source for the heads of the organizations into a contracted fund for the hamlets to operate also requires organizations and unions to actively and effectively carry out the work in the hamlets so that the block, hamlet, and village can pay for the training, both creating initiative for the hamlets and avoiding leveling the playing field between active and inactive organizations, unions, and individuals.
On the basis of the general allocation level of the Provincial People's Council, the blocks, hamlets and villages are required to develop their own internal spending regulations for residential areas.
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| Many green - clean - beautiful roads are built by the people. In the photo: A corner of Quynh Doi commune - Quynh Luu district. Illustration photo: Mai Hoa |
According to Resolution No. 22/2019/NQ-HDND, in addition to the funding from union fees, membership fees of unions and other funds (if any), the provincial budget provides additional support to pay compensation for those who directly participate in the work of hamlets, blocks and villages at 2 levels: hamlets and villages with 350 households or more; hamlets and villages in key communes, complicated in terms of security and order according to the decision of competent authorities; hamlets and villages in border or island communes: 25,000,000 VND/year. The remaining hamlets, blocks and villages: 23,000,000 VND/year.
