"Thirsty" for kindergartens near industrial parks
Sharing at the seminar "Supporting workers in industrial parks and export processing zones in child care and raising" held in Hai Phong City on the morning of October 15, Mr. Vu Dinh Phi, Chairman of the Trade Union of Regina Miracle International Co., Ltd. (VSIP Industrial Park) said: The company has more than 30,000 employees, of which 65% are female, mainly of childbearing age, raising young children.
“Many female workers, after maternity leave, have to send their children back to their hometown for their grandparents to look after or take their grandparents to Hai Phong to look after their children. There are many cases of women quitting their jobs after maternity leave to stay home and look after their children. Industrial parks do not have kindergartens for workers’ children because there is no land to build them while the demand from workers is very high,” said Mr. Phi.
Ms. Bui Thi Hong Diep, Head of the Women's Union of Yazaki Hai Phong Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Hai Phong - Japan Industrial Park) said that employees with children of preschool age choose temporary solutions such as asking relatives from the countryside to stay with them to look after them or sending their children to private daycare centers.
According to statistics from the Hai Phong City Labor Federation, Hai Phong currently has more than 170,000 workers working in industrial clusters and zones, of which female workers account for 70%. Female workers are mainly from other provinces, with an average age of 18-35, and workers with young children account for 30-35%, so the need for workers to send their children to preschool is increasing.
“It is expected that from now until 2030, when 20 industrial parks, 1 economic zone, and 31 industrial clusters continue to be established and put into operation in Hai Phong, the number of workers in industrial parks will double, and the need for childcare will also increase,” said Ms. Pham Thu Thuong, Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of the Women's Union of Hai Phong City Labor Federation.
Pay attention to allocating land to build kindergartens for workers' children.
The demand of workers is increasing day by day, but in reality, in Hai Phong, the number of enterprises investing in building kindergartens for workers' children is very small. "Many enterprises really want to build kindergartens for workers' children so that workers can work with peace of mind, but they do not have land. Although Hai Phong City is implementing many social housing projects with many amenities such as kindergartens, sports areas, etc., in reality, these areas are quite far from industrial parks," said Mr. Vu Dinh Phi - Trade Union of Regina Miracle International Co., Ltd.
To develop a system of kindergartens in industrial parks to better care for children of union members and workers, the Hai Phong City Labor Federation proposed that the City People's Committee pay attention to allocating land funds, supporting funding, and attracting resources to build kindergartens and preschools in industrial parks with a large number of workers, so that workers can work with peace of mind.
Along with that, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor coordinated with the City People's Committee to agree to invest in building trade union cultural institutions to ensure social security for female workers raising young children, children of nursery age, and support children of workers from other provinces who are of school age.
Along with the development of the kindergarten system, Hai Phong is currently the locality that has implemented early according to Decree 105/2020/ND-CP on preschool education development policy with a childcare support level of 200,000 VND/child of workers in industrial parks (1.25 times higher than the regulation in Decree 105). Enterprises in industrial parks support workers to raise young children from 50,000 - 100,000 VND/month for workers, the number of children supported by enterprises is about 22,188 people, some units support until the child is 10 years old.
Ms. Tran Thu Phuong - Deputy Head of the Women's Union of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor - said that these supports are very valuable to workers, so trade unions at all levels, especially grassroots trade unions, are interested in guiding and helping workers with procedures to receive support from the city and businesses. Along with that, advice, proposals, and negotiations in collective labor agreements on welfare regimes contribute to improving life, increasing income, creating conditions for workers to have time to take care of their families and children, and feel secure in their commitment to the business.
