Workers shop for essential products and food sold at discounted prices at the opening ceremony of the 18th Workers’ Month 2026 in HCM City on April 28. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — Trade unions at all levels in HCM City will organise a range of initiatives and programmes throughout May to provide better care for union members and workers during the 18th Workers’ Month that kicked off on Tuesday.

The annual event themed “Vietnamese Workers: Innovation and Creativity, Enhanced Labour Productivity” is a peak period for trade unions to care for the material and spiritual well-being of union members and workers, while also honouring the working class.

During the Workers' Month, trade unions will provide gifts and support to union members and workers in difficult circumstances, those who have suffered work accidents, occupational diseases, or serious illnesses, and pregnant workers.

Trade unions will organise promotional sales programmes with discounts for union members and workers, provide health check-ups for workers, and encourage businesses to improve the quality of meals and improve workers’ living conditions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, chairman of the HCM City Labour Federation Bùi Thanh Nhân, said: “During the 2026 Workers’ Month, the federation will mobilise all resources at grassroots levels, and implement solutions to care for the material and spiritual lives of union members and workers.”

The trade unions strive to implement sustainable solutions to support workers in terms of stable jobs, increased income, and improved living conditions, Nhân said.

To realise these goals, the federation is implementing seven key programmes throughout May, including the “Creative Workers Movement”, the “Thank You to Workers” programme, the “May Dialogue” programme, caring for union members’ welfare, promoting union membership development, improving spiritual life, and improving living conditions for workers by promoting social housing, healthcare, and education, he said.

Thái Thu Xương, deputy chairwoman of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour, emphasised that workers must be at the centre of all activities and initiatives carried out by trade unions and businesses.

The HCM City Labour Federation and all levels of trade unions need to comprehensively care for workers’ material and spiritual well-being to ensure that the 2026 Workers’ Month spreads widely and yields practical results, she said.

Deputy Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyễn Phước Lộc presents gifts to workers at the opening ceremony of the 18th Workers’ Month 2026 in HCM City on April 28. —VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

At the ceremony, the federation signed memorandums of understanding on medical cooperation with three major hospitals to provide healthcare for workers.

It also presented 300 gifts worth VNĐ2.5 million (US$95) each for workers and supported 12 workers in difficult circumstances to repair their houses under the “Trade Union Shelters” (Mái ấm Công đoàn) programme.

A total of 1,500 vouchers worth VNĐ150,000 ($6) each were given to workers to shop food and essential goods. —VNS