More opportunities for reunions for workers far from home
Quang Ngai province currently has 95,331 workers, civil servants, and laborers. Among them, tens of thousands of workers are working in large industrial parks such as VSIP Industrial Park, Tinh Phong Industrial Park, Dung Quat Economic Zone... On April 20, in a submission on cultural development submitted to the National Assembly, the Government proposed to choose November 24 as Vietnam Culture Day, for workers to take leave from work and receive full salary. This proposal is considered good news for workers across the country, especially those working far from home. Like the case of Mr. Ho Van Bac and Ms. Ho Thi Huyen, a Cor ethnic person in Tay Tra Bong commune, currently workers at Oucanyon Furniture Co., Ltd. (Vietnam), VSIP Quang Ngai Industrial Park. Due to difficult circumstances, the couple left their hometown to rent a room in the industrial park, leaving their two young children for their grandparents to take care of. The house is about 80km from the workplace. If there is one more day off on November 24 each year and they still receive their salary, then the couple will have more time to visit their children.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen, a worker at VSIP Quang Ngai Industrial Park, has been attached for nearly 6 years, traveling about 70km by motorbike every day, both going back and forth, taking up a lot of time and effort. Her salary is not high, and she has a family, so she does not rent a room but goes home on the same day. At 41 years old, she has to wake up at 5 am to do housework, working until evening before returning home, so her health has declined.
If there are more days off to receive salary, workers will be very supportive" - she shared.
Businesses agree, expect to stimulate tourism demand and restore labor capacity
Not only workers, many businesses also expressed their agreement with the proposal for workers to take leave on November 24 and still receive full salary.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tuyen - Director of Mega Eco Co., Ltd. - said that the enterprise producing mo cau for export to Europe and the US is being affected by Middle East tensions, causing difficulties for export activities. However, the company still proactively negotiates with partners to maintain orders, ensuring income for workers. Mr. Tuyen said that he supports allowing workers to take leave on November 24th every year with full salary. According to him, for many workers who have to travel far, one more day off will help them rest and regenerate labor without significantly affecting overall productivity.
Mr. Phan Long - Chairman of Quang Ngai Provincial Tourism Association, concurrently Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Director of Daiviettour International Tourism Joint Stock Company - said that allowing employees to take leave on November 24th is reasonable, both helping to rest, regenerate labor capacity, and contributing to stimulating tourism demand.
However, increasing salary holidays needs to be considered according to the economic and cultural conditions of each country, while ensuring production activities and legitimate rights of workers.
More days off, productivity will be higher in the long term
Former Deputy Director of the Department of Employment Le Quang Trung said that with more days off, workers have more time to rest, regenerate labor capacity, and at the same time connect family members and society, but noted that when there are more days off, businesses will have to develop appropriate leave plans for workers so as not to affect production and business activities.
Regarding labor productivity, in my opinion, having one more day off means that workers have more conditions to regenerate labor capacity, and at the same time, they will again make labor productivity not decrease but increase afterwards. Employers should calculate the cost of one full-time labor day off as short-term; workers themselves are regenerated labor capacity and will work more efficiently, labor productivity will be higher than long-term benefits. I think this is a very humane policy, showing the concern of the Party and State for workers in particular, for the cultural sector in general. Notably, this is also the first time there is a day off dedicated to cultural issues. This will create a connection between workers and families as well as society when they have the conditions to participate in cultural activities" - Mr. Trung emphasized.
Quynh Chi
