More than 50 trade union officials in southern provinces and cities attended the conference to review 5 years of establishing, arranging, and perfecting the organization and operation of social funds and charity funds of trade union organizations, period 2019-2024, organized by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of November 14.
Support hundreds of thousands of union members
The report at the conference said that from 2019 to now, 16 localities and units have reviewed, arranged, established funds and operated according to Decree No. 93/2019/ND-CP (Decree 93).
Particularly, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund, established by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in 1996, has so far coordinated with 3 localities and units to open more branches of the fund to take care of and support union members and workers.
From 2019 to present, the total amount of money mobilized from social funds and charity funds of localities and units is over 1,235 billion VND, of which, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund mobilized nearly 988 billion VND, 2,216 union members and employees were supported with "Union Shelter" housing, over 32,600 union members and employees were supported when facing difficulties, occupational accidents, natural disasters, epidemics and over 358,000 union members and employees were supported when their children studied well, overcame difficulties...
Regarding social and charitable activities of localities and units that have not yet implemented Decree 93, the total amount of money mobilized from 2019 to present is over 777 billion VND, supporting over 234,000 union members and employees with an amount of over 688 billion VND, including supporting "Union Shelter" housing for about 20,000 union members and employees with an amount of nearly 412 billion VND; supporting nearly 9,000 unions and employees who suffered from work accidents, natural disasters, storms and floods... with an amount of nearly 2.8 billion VND.
Many opinions at the conference said that due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties in orders, it is difficult to mobilize businesses and employees to support charity funds. The approval of expenses to support union members and employees in cases of illness related to medical expertise is difficult because fund staff do not have medical expertise. There is a lack of human resources to perform the task. The current level of support for building a "Union Shelter" is still low compared to the actual needs...
Take care of union members and workers best
Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Phan Van Anh said that Decree 93 clearly stipulates the organization, operation and state management of social funds and charity funds established and operating in Vietnam. Therefore, provincial and municipal labor federations and union officials must carefully study the provisions of Decree 93 and the guidance of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to ensure that the activities of charity and social funds in the union organization must comply with the law, the principles and purposes, in order to contribute to taking care of union members and workers in the best way.
Localities and units that have arranged and established social funds and charity funds according to Decree 93 need to regularly study and review internal regulations, management regulations, organization and operation of the fund, ensuring that the fund is implemented in accordance with the provisions of Decree 93 as amended and supplemented in Decree No. 136/2024/ND-CP and regulations of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
For localities and units with social funds, charity funds, social and charity programs but have not yet arranged and established funds according to Decree 93, it is necessary to urgently arrange social funds, charity funds, and social and charity programs operating according to Decree 93.
Regarding difficulties and recommendations, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor will collect and recommend to the Government to study, amend and supplement regulations on the establishment, organization and operation of social and charity funds in accordance with the functions and tasks of the trade union organization; direct authorities at all levels, departments, ministries, branches, agencies, units and enterprises to continue to pay attention, devote resources, support and participate with the trade union organization to take care of the welfare of union members and workers through the activities of social funds and charity funds.
