How Unions Help Workers in Vietnam Fight COVID-19
In Vietnam, the 4th wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began at the end of April 2021, has become increasingly complicated, spreading among workers. Despite the Vietnamese government’s efforts and determination to prevent the spread of the pandemic and economic recession, as well as to increase resilience and economic recovery, workers have faced serious impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic. Especially regarding their income and employment.
According to a report by the General Statistics Office, as of December 2020, Vietnam had 32.1 million people aged 15 years and over who were victims of the COVID-19 pandemic including unemployment, leave and reduced working hours. In addition, 69.2% experienced a decrease in income, 39.9% experienced a reduction in working hours/leave/layoffs and around 14% experienced a temporary layoff or termination of business/production.
The services sector was hardest hit by the pandemic with 71.6% of workers affected, followed by industry and construction with 64.7%; agriculture, forestry and aquaculture by 26.4%. In 2020, the labor force aged 15 and over decreased to 54.6 million, a decrease of 1.2 million during 2019. In the 2016-2019 period, the average labor force increased 0.8% annually.
Based on the union report, as of 7/21/2021, there were 11,832 out of 64,460 infected people working in 42 cities/provinces. Thousands of F1 and F2 are workers and employees working in the company and IZ. In addition to isolation/quarantine or lockdown measures, many companies have to temporarily stop their operations/production also causing unemployment, furloughs, layoffs of hundreds of thousands of workers. This number is increasing day by day.
Closure of non-essential services affects the employment and income of millions of workers, many cities/provinces allow companies to resume their operations and production only when the company implements the “3 on-site measures” (dormitory, lodging and working on the company campus) on a worker voluntary basis or provide commuter buses between the workplace and home to ensure the health and safety of workers.
If companies maintain ongoing operations, they will need to provide workers with regular virus tests to ensure safe working conditions. The workers did not want to join the program, the union negotiated with the employer to pay them the basic wage during this period. In the event that the TKI wants to return to their hometown, after being tested for the virus, they can travel home and comply with the pandemic prevention protocol (self-isolation/quarantine…). Some provinces/cities arrange buses/trains/planes to send their workers home.
In an effort to support workers against the impact of the pandemic, trade unions in Vietnam are taking a number of initiatives. Among others :
– Strengthen social dialogue and collective bargaining with employers for proper compliance with relevant policies, protection of employment and safe working conditions for workers and provision of virus testing to workers.
– Implement various support programs such as: establishment of free rice ATMs, Zero Dong supermarkets, negotiations with landlords for reduced rent, electricity, water costs for workers, free food for quarantined workers, requests for low interest loans granted by unions. microfinance institutions to workers to survive through hardships during the pandemic.
– Launch a “vaccine for workers” program, contribute and ask employers to mobilize resources for worker vaccination.
– Participate in discussions with the government and relevant agencies regarding financial and economic assistance packages for workers, the poor, and others in need.
– Allocate 113 billion VN Dong (equivalent to US$ 4.9 million) from the union budget to support union members affected by the 4th wave of COVID-19.
– Provide material support for workers in need.
– Communicate with workers about the relief measures they are entitled to, and how to apply for them.
Currently, the Vietnamese government has set a group that is included in the priority list of vaccinations. These include workers in essential services such as the aviation, transportation, tourism, electric power and water supply sectors. In addition, the poor and disadvantaged groups as well as other groups determined by the Minister of Health and the Chair of the Provincial/City People’s Committee are also included in the priority list of vaccinations.
Contributor : Ha Phuong Thao
International Department VGCL (IIWE contact point)
