Strengthening support for workers affected to working

​Orders keep decreasing, lack of raw materials for production causes many enterprises to reduce working hours and labors. This situation is happening at many enterprises across the country including Dong Nai. Currently, the Trade Union in the province is continuing to implement solutions to support workers who lost their jobs, helping to stabilize the lives of workers.

Garment and wood production workers are two of many industries that are heavily affected by jobs because enterprises do not have orders

​Employees continue to work alternately

Chairman of the Trade Union of Tokin Electronics Co., Ltd. (Bien Hoa City) Phan Toi Tho Hiep said that from July 2022, orders at the enterprise have begun to decrease, and the company's Board of Directors has tried to find year-end orders for employees to have a full Tet. After Tet, orders have been decreased again. Currently, the company workers have no longer worked overtime, but only the company has organized for workers to work on time according to office hours. At the same time, because there have been no orders, the businesse have had to stop some employees whose 3-year contracts expired. “In this second quarter, the enterprise still being reduced orders. The company hopes to have orders again in the third quarter to stabilize regular employee jobs, "- Mr. Hiep shared.

 Advanced Multitech Vietnam Co., Ltd (Nhon Trach District) is organizing for employees to work alternately during the week due to a decrease in orders. Despite the decrease in employment and income, the labor force here is still actively working, and the labor relations at the enterprise are stable and harmonious. Chairman of the Company's Trade Union Do Thi Thuy Kieu said that from the end of last year until now, the company's orders had decreased but still ensured the benefits for employees. Currently, although employees worked in rotation, they shared a lot with the enterprise.

“In order to keep the working spirit of the employees, the leaders of the company and the Trade Union regularly have dialogues with the employees. In which, notify the production situation and orders to employees to know and cooperate in the production plans of the enterprise. In addition, the company and the Trade Union also listen to the sharing, recommendations, thoughts, and aspirations of employees to solve together. The Union is hoping that in the second quarter of this year, orders will come back to stabilize jobs for employees," said Ms. Kieu.

In addition to many enterprises that have regained orders and are recruiting workers to restore production, some enterprises still have their orders reduced, especially in the wood, electronics, and leather shoe industries. This situation has affected the lives of workers, especially workers living away from home.

At Hiep Dat Dong Nai Joint Stock Company (specializing in the production of bolts and screws in Vinh Cuu District), although there are only over 100 employees, due to the lack of orders, they still have to reduce their working hours. However, in order for employees not to be affected by income, the company has just invested in 3 hydroponic vegetable growing rigs to help employees to get jobs during the time of job reduction. Although investing in the wrong industry, this is also a creative way for the enterprise with the desire for employees to overcome difficulties.

Actively support employees

According to the understanding of trade unions in the province, it is expected that in the second quarter of 2023, the situation of labor, employment, production, and business of enterprises will continue to face many difficulties due to the lack of production orders. Particularly in the first 3 months of 2023, beside a number of units maintaining stable production and returning orders, there are still many difficult businesses forced to stop labors or dissolve the company.

 Chairwoman of the Trade Union of Bien Hoa Industrial Park Nguyen Thi Tuyet said that in the first quarter of 2023, businesses had faced a decrease in orders due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the impact of the goods supply chain of global and the post-pandemic Covid-19, production and business had still faced difficulties. The most affected was the wood industry with some units suspending labor contracts or reducing works from 1- 6 days per month. Up to now, the industrial zones in Bien Hoa have had 50 enterprises reduce orders with about 50,000 employees affected.

Meanwhile, in Trang Bom District, many employees are also significantly affected by their income and lives because enterprises operate in moderation, giving workers unpaid leaves, and stop labor contracts. Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen, who used to work at a garment company at Ho Nai Industrial Park (Trang Bom District) said that she had worked for 19 years at the company's medical department with an income of 6.5 million VND per month. In January 2023, the enterprise had had no orders and stoped workers and she had been among the unemployed. “I have been with the company since my salary was 500,000 VND per month. Now I have lost my job, I don't know how to take care of my family. My wish right now is to find a new job soon, "- Ms. Huyen said.

Faced with the fact that employees' jobs are affected, trade unions at all levels in the province are implementing many support measures. According to the Provincial Confederation of Labor, implementing Decision No. 6696/QD-TLD of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on supporting union members and employees whose working time is reduced, labor contracts are terminated due to the business being reduced orders, the Provincial Labor Confederation has established a working group to review and approve timely support for union members and employees.

Through the review, up to now, the Provincial Labor Confederation has approved the application to support more than 11,000 employees with a total amount of more than 13 billion VND. There were 5.4 thousand employees whose working hours were reduced or stopped and 5.8 thousand employees whose labor contracts were suspended or unpaid. The Provincial Labor Confederation continues to evaluate the dossiers so that union members and employees can receive support soon. Most cases of requesting support are employees working at enterprises in districts and cities with concentrated industrial zones such as Bien Hoa, Trang Bom, Nhon Trach, Vinh Cuu...

Under the category of loosing jobs due to a lack of orders from businesses, after learning about the support policy from the Trade Union, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, working at Sanlim Furniture Vietnam Co., Ltd (Trang Bom District) made a dossier to receive support. Ms. Huong said that although the money was small, it helped her to cover her immediate life. “While having no jobs, the amount of support was a great encouragement and very necessary for me" - Ms. Huong said.

In addition to the support package of the Trade Union, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has actively implemented a support package under Decision 122 of the Provincial People's Committee on taking care and supporting employees who lost their jobs and temporarily suspended labor contracts in the province. The support level of 1.5 million VND per person. Until March 30, localities in the province have approved support for 192 employees whose labor contracts terminated and 3,256 employees whose labor contracts suspended with an amount of over 4.4 billion dong. The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs is continuing to direct its affiliated units to review, approve and support employees to overcome difficulties.​