New model
The Union Meal, as many localities have been organizing, is a new model to help the Union at all levels better take care of the material and spiritual life, while aiming to build long-term welfare programs for union members and employees. This is a practical activity, affirming the responsibility and concern of the Union in taking care of union members and employees from their daily practical needs.
This program also helps build solidarity and close relationships between union members and the trade union organization, between employees and employers, and at the same time helps employees feel secure in working, producing and having a long-term relationship with the enterprise.
Recently, many localities across the country have done a good job of organizing Trade Union Meals, typically the Dong Nai Provincial Federation of Labor . Here, more than 156 enterprises have implemented Trade Union Meals with the participation of more than 253,937 union members and employees. Of which, the meal with the highest value is 250,000 VND/person/portion, and the meal with the lowest value is 37,917 VND/person/portion (at a company in Tam Phuoc Industrial Park). The grassroots trade unions have supported the budget from 19,917 VND to 50,000 VND/person/portion.
The Union meal costs 250,000 VND/person/meal, of which 50,000 VND is paid by the union and 200,000 VND is paid by the company, and is held at the Trade Union of Acrowel Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Long Thanh Industrial Park, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai).
The meal includes dishes such as crab, fried shrimp, sausage, cake, chicken, pigeon sticky rice, elephant ear fish with passion fruit sauce, crab hotpot, fruit... The special thing is that this Union Meal is organized by the Union of Acrowel Vietnam Co., Ltd. on average once every 4 months, instead of once a year like many other businesses.
Should be expanded and maintained
Based on the successful reality in the locality, the Dong Nai Provincial Federation of Labor has proposed to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor that the Trade Union Meal should be organized more regularly, especially on the occasions of celebrating major national holidays, the Vietnam Trade Union Day, Workers' Month, Month of Action on occupational safety and hygiene... so that workers can benefit.
At the same time, the Provincial Federation of Labor also proposed that the Government consider making shift meals a mandatory policy that businesses need to implement to ensure the health of employees during work.
This proposal is receiving support from local labor federations for the benefit of workers. However, the reality of organizing Union Meals in localities shows that it is necessary to "cover the airwaves" before organizing them regularly. Currently, many localities, such as Da Nang, only organize Union Meals on a small scale within the district labor federations. Some enterprises with potential and a tradition of taking good care of their workers, such as 29/3 Textile Joint Stock Company, have organized them, but many other enterprises still face financial difficulties.
Many Chairmen of grassroots Trade Unions in Da Nang proposed that, in order to expand and organize regular Trade Union Meals, especially in enterprises, the best way is to include them in the Collective Labor Agreement for negotiation.
Currently, with limited budgets, grassroots trade unions are having difficulty organizing this activity. Similarly, the proposal to the Government to consider making shift meals a mandatory policy for businesses should also be included in the Agreement, as this is the responsibility of the trade union organization.
