The support of more than 500 cyclo drivers
Mr. Pham Van Hien (from Phu Yen) used to work as a bricklayer and farmer. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, he had no job, so he went to Nha Trang with his cyclo driver friend and applied to join the union with the hope of having a place to practice his profession.
“Before I became a freelancer, I didn’t think I would join any organization. But when I saw many colleagues joining unions, having organized activities, having teams, connecting with each other, supporting each other to increase income, and stabilizing their lives in a very systematic way, I really wanted to be like that,” Hien shared.
For many cyclo drivers, joining the Nha Trang Tourist Cyclo Union is really “beneficial”. From being freelance workers with no discipline or order, they now have a place to live together, share customers, and share difficulties...
According to Mr. Le Quang Nhat - Chairman of Nha Trang Tourist Cyclo Union, after 1 year of launching, the Union has become a support for more than 500 cyclo drivers. From individual lives, wandering to make a living, now, they have brothers who stand side by side on every road, helping each other overcome difficulties in life.
The activities of the Nha Trang Tourist Cyclo Union have received the attention and close direction of the Nha Trang City Party Committee and People's Committee. Especially, the direct attention of the Nha Trang City Labor Federation has created favorable conditions for facilities and accompanied and cared for union members.
In particular, organizing free health check-ups for union members, coordinating with the provincial Social Insurance (SI) to propagate the Social Insurance Law for 300 union members. Organizing propaganda classes on Vietnam Trade Union, Road Traffic Law, circulars according to traffic law, social evils... for 450 union members. Through propaganda activities, the awareness and labor discipline of union members are enhanced, contributing to building the image of a tourist city, ensuring security and order in the area.
There are still feelings
Established in December 2023, with more than 250 initial members, to date, the Nha Trang Tourist Cyclo Union has grown to 515 members, divided into 8 groups operating in the city. Of which, there are 12 female members, the average age is quite high and 70% of the members have a junior high school degree or lower.
The mobilization and gathering of cyclo workers in Nha Trang into a union is still new, most of whom are in difficult circumstances.
In recent times, the tourist cyclo model has developed strongly in Nha Trang. Besides the members who comply with traffic laws, there are still cases of improper behavior towards tourists and during work, affecting the whole community.
One of the current problems is the use of power-assisted motors for cyclos. Many members worry that if they use traditional cyclos, many older members with poor health will not be able to do the job. On the other hand, many customers, when they see cyclo drivers without power-assisted motors, are hesitant to use the service.
According to Mr. Ngo Anh Duyet - Chairman of the Nha Trang City Labor Federation, this is a difficult point for union members and a major concern for the locality. Because currently, there are no regulations for motorized cyclos.
"Strictly complying with traffic laws for rudimentary vehicles, dealing with impersonation of union members, building solidarity in a disciplined working environment... are fundamental solutions to build a strong union in the coming time," Mr. Duyet emphasized.
