Workers are happy to continue receiving support for job reduction and layoffs.

Hope it comes true soon

Ms. Lo Thi Sua, from Lao Cai, came to Hai Duong to work at the beginning of the year, but the job was unstable, so she moved from one company to another. Three months ago, she moved to work at Toyo Denso Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Hai Duong City). Because there was little work, she had Saturdays off, went home early in the afternoon, and did not have to work overtime. Her low income and many breaks also increased her electricity and water bills. Ms. Sua said: "There is no job in my hometown now, so I just stay here and earn some money. When I learned that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor continues to support workers whose jobs have been reduced or furloughed, I hope to receive this money soon."

For many days now, Ms. Phan Thi Kim Lien in Kim Anh commune (Kim Thanh) has been going to work in a situation where she could be laid off at any time. She is working at a garment company in the same district. When working regularly, working overtime and even on Saturdays, her income is 9-10 million VND/month. However, for more than a month now, the job has been unstable, workers have had to reduce and spread out their work, some days they work in the morning and rest in the afternoon, earning only over 5 million VND/month. The source of income has decreased sharply, many people have had to quit their jobs. Ms. Lien shared: “I am nearly 50 years old, I have been working as a worker for many years, but now the job is unstable, if I quit working at this company, it will be very difficult to find a new job. Therefore, in addition to wanting support from trade unions at all levels, we hope to have stable jobs in the countryside.”

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Lan, Chairwoman of the Nam Sach District Labor Federation, as soon as the information was received that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor would continue to support workers whose working hours were reduced or their labor contracts were terminated due to businesses cutting orders, district-level union officials disseminated it on the Zalo group to grassroots unions. Although there were no specific instructions from the higher-level union, workers always followed the information closely and waited every day. Many workers texted regularly to ask how to complete the procedures to receive support. "We really hope that the conditions for workers to receive support will be simpler and implemented soon," Ms. Lan said.

Actively review, do not miss anything

On August 25, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor issued Decision 7785/QD-TLĐ on implementing direct support policies for workers according to Resolution 06. The support period is from April 1 to December 31, 2023. The deadline for receiving applications is January 31, 2024. The support level for union members is from 1-3 million VND.

Specifically, for workers whose working hours are reduced or who are suspended from work, union members will receive support of VND1 million/person, while non-union workers will receive support of VND700,000/person. For workers whose labor contracts are suspended or who are on unpaid leave, union members will receive support of VND2 million/person, and workers will receive support of VND1.4 million/person.

In case of termination of labor contract but not eligible for unemployment benefits, union members are supported with 3 million VND/person, employees are supported with 2.1 million VND/person.

Union members and employees considered for support must be working under a labor contract at the time of requesting support, and must be on the payroll at the enterprise before the time of starting to have their working hours reduced, stop working, have their labor contracts temporarily suspended, or take unpaid leave for at least 30 days or more before requesting support.

Anyone who is not eligible for unemployment insurance must be on the payroll at the enterprise before the termination of the labor contract requesting support for at least 90 days or more.

According to Mr. Pham Dinh Hoa, Chairman of the Trade Union of Tinh Loi Garment Company Limited (Lai Vu Industrial Park, Kim Thanh), the number of workers and laborers at the enterprise has decreased significantly compared to last year, but not everyone has received support under Resolution 06. The reason is that the conditions are very strict, especially the regulations on reduced and extended working hours. Usually, workers who leave one place will immediately find another place to work or only take a few days off and then go back to work. "We hope that the higher-level trade union will provide specific instructions and loosen the regulations so that more workers can receive support," said Mr. Hoa.

Previously, in early 2023, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor issued Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLĐ to allocate union financial resources to provide one-time support to union members whose working hours have been reduced or whose labor contracts have been terminated due to the company cutting or reducing orders. In Hai Duong, 165 workers were supported with a total cost of 165 million VND in May 2023.

Support packages from trade unions have provided timely encouragement and motivation to workers in difficult times. For this support to be implemented effectively, the direct superior trade union needs to actively promote this regime and policy to the grassroots trade union, and review workers who are eligible for support, without missing any.