Workers of the Đông Anh Chain and Free-Wheel Co Ltd ensure COVID-19 preventive measures while working. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Nghĩa

HÀ NỘI — Trade unions at different levels have strived their best to help workers to overcome the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hà Nội Labour Federation, for example, has found more than 11,150 “Safe COVID-19 teams” at 4,148 enterprises with the participation of 49,440 workers.

They are responsible for educating workers on preventive measures, and supervising and reporting any problems to their leaders.

Nguyễn Thị Bích, a worker of the Bắc Thăng Long Industrial Zone in Hà Nội, said the teams are strict and monitor workers closely. People not obeying preventive regulations are not allowed to enter the factory.

“All of us feel the surrounding environment is safer and don’t worry while we are working,” she said.

Đinh Quốc Toản, chairman of the Hà Nội Industrial Zone and Processing Zone Trade Union, said that if any case of COVID-19 was detected, the local trade union would help the patient to implement the preventive and control measures regulated by the National Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The trade union would also support workers and help enterprises to mitigate the impacts of an outbreak.

The union utilises infographics and Zalo groups to quickly spread instruction to the “Safe COVID-19 Teams”.

The municipal Trade Union has also set up more than 3,300 Trade Union Zalo groups with more than 100,000 participants. Trade union leaders take part in all of the group and ensure that the members receive accurate information in a timely manner.

Nguyễn Phi Thường, chairman of the Hà Nội Labour Federation, said that the municipal trade union has determined that timely and renewed action was needed to improve the situation.

Creating belief

In HCM City, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the 1.6 million workers at thousands of enterprises around the city.

So far, more than 3,000 workers in the city are F0 whereas more than 12,000 others are F1.

The HCM City Trade Union has responded in a number of different ways.

Nguyễn Thị Chung, a worker at Thiên Lộc Shoes Co Ltd, said that her accommodation was locked down due to a case of COVID-19. The company’s trade union informed her that she would still receive 70 per cent of her salary for the 12 days of quarantine based on the Labour Law.

“I’m very happy, but not surprised because many other workers had also received such support. During hard times, we have seen that the trade union’s role is very important. We are content to fulfil quarantine requirements strictly and wait for the day we can return to work,” said Chung.

In the past year, the HCM City has organised a number of programmes to take care of workers with total funds of more than VNĐ12.5 billion (US$545,800). Nearly 8,000 workers received support of nearly VNĐ5.9 billion ($257,700).

Deputy chairman of the municipal Labour Federation Phạm Chí Tâm said that the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on workers including freelancers. 

The municipal trade unions at different levels have conducted supportive work in the spirit of “no person is left behind”.

“It will help freelancers feel more secure coping with these challenges,” Tâm said.

Safe manufacture

Not only Hà Nội and HCM City were seriously affected by the pandemic. Many other localities such as Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Cần Thơ also have to apply social distancing measures to ensure residents’ safety.

Recently, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-issued instructions to enterprises to ensure their safety during production.

Chairman Toản said that the trade union would continue to uphold the role of “Safe COVID-19 Teams”, and educate workers to keep calm and strictly obey preventive regulations to ensure the “double targets” of preventing the pandemic while developing the economy. 

Việt Nam has 16 million workers at industrial zones and processing zones, creating 60 per cent of the total output of the nation and contributing 70 per cent of the State budget.— VNS