Võ Văn Tú, a migrant worker in HCM City is given four free bus tickets to home in central Nghệ An Province for Tết. — Photos baogiaothong.vn

NGHỆ AN — For four consecutive years, unable to return to his hometown to reunite with his family during Lunar New Year (Tết), Võ Văn Tú and his wife, migrant workers in Thủ Đức City of HCM City always felt pain in his heart every time spring came.

The couple have two children, the elder one attending university and the younger in seventh grade. Previously, he worked as a labourer at the Tân Thuận Export Processing Zone, earning just enough to cover his family's living expenses.

When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, he lost his job and had to take on various odd jobs. The temporary and unstable work left his family in constant financial difficulty, with their main income relying on his wife’s modest labourer’s salary.

"I asked for a bus ticket to Nghệ An Province during Tết to cost VNĐ2.4 million (US$95) per person. The fare for four people to go and return is about VNĐ19 million ($750), not including food and other expenses,” Tú told baogiaothong.vn.

“We cannot afford it," he said.

He thought his family would have to spend yet another year celebrating Tết far from home, but an unexpected joy came their way when the HCM City Centre for Supporting Young Workers gifted them four free bus tickets to Nghệ An Province.

Holding the four tickets in his hands, Tú was moved to tears: "No one in our family could sleep because we were so happy. Both sides of the extended family were overjoyed when they heard the news."

Free bus tickets

Students on a free bus back home to celebrate Lunar New Year.

Each Tết, bus trips are rolling out, bringing struggling workers back home to reunite with their families.

Among them are many who have not been able to return home for Tết in over a decade.

These trips are not only material gifts but also a source of encouragement, helping workers face life with greater confidence.

Phạm Thị Mơ, a 49-year-old garment worker at Đạt Việt Company in Tân Thuận Export Processing Zone, could not hide her emotions as she held her free ticket.

"I have not been home for Tết in over ten years. My grandchild is now seven years old and has never met her grandparents. I am so happy. Finally, I get to reunite with them," she said, moved to tears.

Similarly, Nguyễn Thị Hoài, a worker from central Nghệ An Province, employed at the Amata Industrial Park, said that she had not returned home for years.

This year, she applied for support through her labour union but did not expect her family would receive tickets.

"Honestly, I held the tickets in my hands but could not believe it was real," she said, her voice trembling.

Another lucky recipient, Mai Thị Hoa, a worker from Long Bình Industrial Park and a native of central Hà Tĩnh Province, said: "For the past month, I have been so excited. I hope more tickets like these will reach people in difficult situations like mine."

Last week, Nguyễn Xuân Lĩnh, a worker from Anh Sơn District, central Nghệ An Province, joyfully called his parents to announce that he would be home for Tết this year.

Lĩnh, who works at TNG Company in Thái Nguyên Province, initially planned to stay in his rented room during Tết due to the high cost of travelling.

However, earlier this January, TNG announced a support programme to bring workers back home for Tết, prompting Lĩnh to sign up immediately.

Like him, hundreds of workers from Nam Định, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh provinces registered for the programme.

Trần Thị Lương from Hương Sơn District of Hà Tĩnh Province said that her company, Youngone Bắc Giang, is providing transportation for her and her colleagues this year.

"Travelling from Bắc Giang Province to Hà Tĩnh Province is very far, not to mention that Tết buses are always overcrowded. With my meagre worker’s salary, I used to have to endure cramped buses that cost twice the regular fare," she said.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Hoàng Dũng and several fellow workers from Thanh Hóa Province at Tenma Việt Nam’s Nội Bài branch often pooled their money to rent private vehicles to avoid the hassle of public buses.

This year, learning about the transportation support programme for workers at Nội Bài Industrial Park, Dũng immediately registered with the company’s labour union.

Door-to-door service

Workers on the bus returning home in the programme 'Bring Tết Home' organised by the Central Youth Union.

The Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) has been promoting the organisation of transportation for workers to return home for Tết to local unions.

This initiative has become a common practice in provinces and cities with numerous industrial parks.

According to a representative from the Hà Nội Confederation of Labour, on January 25 (Lunar December 26), the organisation will launch the 'Union Tết Journey – Spring 2025' programme, featuring 30 buses transporting 1,200 workers to Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh.

They will also provide direct cash assistance for bus tickets to 5,000 struggling workers in northern and central provinces, with amounts ranging from VNĐ300,000 to 500,000 ($12-20) per person.

"This is the 17th consecutive year the city’s labour unions have organised this activity. For Tết 2025, thousands of bus trips will be arranged in collaboration with local unions and businesses across the country to bring workers home and back to work after Tết," said Phạm Quang Thanh, chairman of the Hà Nội Confederation of Labour.

From January 24 to 26, the Việt Nam Coal and Minerals Labour Union, along with its affiliated units, will arrange 291 buses to transport 9,774 workers and their families to their ancestral homes.

These buses will depart from Quảng Ninh and head to northern and central provinces. On February 2 (the fifth day of the Lunar New Year), the buses will pick up workers from their homes and bring them back to the mines.

Samsung Group also plans to provide more than 80 buses for around 4,000 workers from Thái Nguyên Province to return to their hometowns.

Most recipients of this support are from Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, and Hà Tĩnh.

Similarly, companies such as Masan Group, Thái Nguyên Steel, Sunny Opotech Việt Nam and TNG in Thái Nguyên are offering transportation support to their workers, starting on January 25.

In Bắc Giang Province, the Industrial Zone Confederation of Labour will launch 'Union Bus Journeys' for workers in challenging circumstances, particularly those from Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, and Hà Giang provinces.

These buses will depart on the morning of January 25.

Diverse Tết support activities

According to Director of the HCM City Centre for Supporting Young Workers Lê Hoàng Minh, this year’s 'Spring Bus Journey' will bring around 2,000 struggling workers from the city to provinces ranging from Đắk Lắk to Thanh Hóa. The buses will depart on January 25.

In addition, the centre has organised various Tết-themed activities at worker accommodation areas, including motorbike maintenance and gifts for workers from the Mekong Delta to ensure they can return home safely.

Chairwoman of the Đồng Nai Confederation of Labour Nguyễn Thị Như Ý said that this year, the union has introduced new Tết support initiatives, including 'Union Tết Markets', gift-giving and assistance for struggling workers.

In HCM City, alongside the 'Spring Bus Journey', the 'Meaningful Tickets' programme will provide 3,225 bus tickets to workers, along with 1,000 Tết red envelopes for their children. The city’s civil servant union will also distribute train tickets to outstanding workers, with total funding of approximately VNĐ3.8 billion ($150,000).

The city’s universities and colleges, including HCM City National University, are also running free bus programmes for thousands of students to return home.

Additionally, the city has enhanced other Tết support activities for 2025, such as the 'Warm Tết – United Spring' programme, which will distribute 700 gifts (VNĐ1.8 million - $90 per gift) to civil servants and workers, along with 5,000 gifts worth VNĐ5 billion ($211,800) in total (VNĐ1 million - $40 each).

The HCM City Fatherland Front Committee plans to provide 1,800 gifts, valued at VNĐ900,000 ($35) each, for workers suffering from severe illnesses or only having low incomes.

Furthermore, city officials and the Labour Union will visit workers operating HCM City Metro Line 1 and other projects continuing through Tết. — VNS