Welfare for workers must be in line with needs
As the labor market becomes increasingly volatile, the problem of retaining human resources has become a priority for many manufacturing enterprises, especially in labor-intensive industries such as chemicals and electronics. Reality shows that wherever trade unions truly accompany businesses in caring for life, workers tend to be more attached.
Not only stopping at the role of protecting rights, grassroots trade unions are increasingly affirming their role as a bridge between workers and businesses through substantive dialogue, participating in building collective labor agreements, proposing welfare policies and accompanying workers in difficult times. Changes sometimes start from things very close to workers' lives such as meals, working environment, rest time or support for female workers raising young children.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Huy Thong - Chairman of the Vietnam Chemical Industry Trade Union (Vinachem) - said that caring for workers today cannot only stop at mandatory regimes but needs to go into the right practical needs.
Taking care of workers cannot only be in accordance with the law but must also "meet" the needs of workers" - Mr. Nguyen Huy Thong shared.
According to Mr. Thong, at many units under Vinachem, trade unions coordinate with professionals right from the stage of building collective labor agreements and welfare regulations to make policies more practical. At Southern Rubber Industry Joint Stock Company (Casumina), many changes are implemented from things close to workers such as improving the quality of lunch meals, renovating dining rooms, bathrooms, mid-shift rooms, investing in a green - clean - beautiful environment in the factory. Along with that is the mechanism of periodic dialogues, suggestion boxes, direct meetings to listen to workers' thoughts and promptly handle arising recommendations. The company here enjoys many policies such as shuttle buses, dormitories, travel allowances, periodic health check-ups, support for unexpected difficulties, and care for funerals and maternity. For female workers who are pregnant or raising young children, the company implements many separate policies such as arranging lighter jobs, maternity leave, prioritizing not having to queue, supplementing milk in meals and building many separate pumping rooms to support postpartum mothers.
Notably, for workers returning to work after childbirth, the company allows additional leave or chooses to leave 1 hour earlier each day to have more time to take care of young children - a policy that many workers positively rate as helping to reduce pressure in the early postpartum period. For employees with preschool children, the company also maintains monthly support to share some of the cost of taking care of young children.
In addition, the trade union also regularly coordinates to organize workshops on mental health, yoga, psychological counseling and many activities for families and children of workers such as Family Day monthly, programs for children on June 1st.
What we aim for is not only to attract or retain employees, but to create a sense of security so that they see the business as a place where they can stick for a long time" - Mr. Le Xuan Sang shared. According to him, when employees, especially young families, feel shared pressure during pregnancy and raising young children, they will have more motivation to stabilize their lives and feel secure in their work.
From policies to sharing with workers
Care policies are only truly meaningful when they enter the lives of workers. For many workers, the concern from businesses and trade union organizations is not only in regimes and benefits but also in timely sharing when life encounters difficulties.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Ms. Pham Thi Minh (37 years old) - a worker at Southern Basic Chemicals Joint Stock Company - said that during maternity leave and raising young children, the union regularly visits, encourages, and creates conditions to arrange suitable jobs when returning to work. When relatives are seriously ill, the grassroots trade union has promptly supported from the mutual support fund and flexibly arranged time for her to both take care of her family and ensure work.
I clearly feel that businesses are not just a place to work but truly a spiritual support, a collective that always accompanies workers" - Ms. Minh shared.
From another perspective, Mr. Nguyen Van Manh - Laborer at LG Display Vietnam Hai Phong - said that what he remembers most is not only the support when his family encounters difficulties but also the fact that the company and trade union always listen to very small proposals from workers.
The roof from the parking lot to the company gate may be small, but for workers working in shifts like us, it is a very practical concern. It makes me feel that workers are always recognized and prioritized" - Mr. Manh said.
Behind the stability of many businesses today are not only growth figures, but also the persistent companionship of the trade union in caring for workers' lives. When workers feel listened to, shared and prioritized, it is also when the bond is naturally and sustainably fostered.
