Nguyễn Hữu Hiệp, head of the HCM City Commission of Mass Mobilisation, hands out certificates to honour volunteers in COVID-19 response activities during the opening ceremony of the 14th Workers Month on April 29. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — The 14th Workers Month began on Friday in HCM City with a number of activities meant to improve workers’ welfare.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Trần Đoàn Trung, deputy standing chairman of the HCM City Labour Federation, said unions are organising activities to honour the workforce and provide better care for union members and workers during the month.

“We hope the business community quickly recovers and develops sustainably to create more new and steady jobs and improve benefits for employees.”

Nguyễn Hữu Hiệp, head of municipal Commission of Mass Mobilisation, said innovative production models and community activities done by union members and workers need to be honoured in a timely manner.

The federation needs to take better care of workers’ lives and improve their physical and mental well-being, he said.

It needs to help revive businesses and build harmonious labour relations, he added.

At the ceremony, the city Labour Federation and the Traditional Medicine Association signed a memorandum of understanding for improving healthcare for workers who contract COVID-19.

The Capital Aid Fund for Employment of the Poor (CEP) also signed agreements with some trade unions to offers low-interest loans to workers facing financial difficulty.

The month, an annual event, will also include meetings between local authorities, businesses, trade unions, and workers, job fairs and skills contests.

A three-day trade fair of essential consumer goods with discounts of 20-45 per cent opened at the Labour Culture Palace on April 29.

The federation will spend around VNĐ100 billion (US$4.33 million) for a number of activities to support 200,000 workers during the month.

The Action Month for Labour Safety and Hygiene also kicked off on Friday with an online competition on labour safety and hygiene.

The Action Month for Labour Safety and Hygiene is being marked concurrently to raise awareness of labour safety and hygiene among both workers and employers. —VNS