Hoa Binh mountain street these days has become more bustling and brilliant with many fresh flower shoots and traditional ao dai colors of women.
When the city lights up, people start pouring into the streets to have fun and eat, which is also the time when environmental vehicles start their most difficult work shifts. The image of female environmental sanitation workers in familiar blue shirts who work tirelessly all night has become very familiar.
The more holidays and Tet, the more those quiet "pink shadows" have time for themselves and their families. Most of the time they "hold" the road surface to collect garbage and clean the streets. Despite the hardships, they have never been discouraged, still attached to their profession, are still happy and cannot help but be proud of their work.
On Thinh Lang Street, Tan Thinh Ward, Hoa Binh City, Ms. Tran Kim Xuyen (48 years old), a worker at Hoa Binh Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, is still diligently collecting garbage when it is late. For her and many colleagues, the holiday means working many times harder than usual. Busy and tired, she still carefully moves every move, both sweeping the trash and paying attention to the vehicles passing by to ensure safety.
"I have been in this profession for 16 years. Any job is like that, you have to love the job to stay long-term. On March 8, when I pulled my motorbike through the flower stalls, I felt sad to see people dressing beautifully and taking pictures, but I still did my job. I am still proud of preserving the environment and beautifying the city, Ms. Xuyen confided.
According to Ms. Xuyen, regardless of rain or shine, holidays, Tet, etc., they are diligent in collecting garbage and cleaning the streets. The earliest shift of the day starts at 3am, the latest shift will end at 12am.
After nearly 14 years in the profession, Ms. Tran Thi Thao (51 years old) shared: "March 8 is just a normal day. We are still sweeping the streets and collecting garbage to maintain hygiene for the city. This day's work may be heavier than usual because it is a holiday. I just hope that if people are more aware and gather garbage in the right place, I will have a little less trouble."
According to Ms. Thao, every job is hard, but this job is more hard, and for women, it is too much. But for life, for responsibility, you should do a lot and get used to it.
"There was also a year when young people passed by and gave me a flower. It was a happy time. After each such holiday, we are the ones who collect the large and small flower baskets that are left behind, Ms. Thao said emotionally.
The day on March 8 of female environmental sanitation workers continued to be like that until late at night. At the end of the day, they gather garbage trucks and wait for truckloads to transport them.
"A good job is over. We are used to it, holidays and Tet are like that. I can't take a day off and go out, because if I take a day off without a replacement, the trash will stagnate, flooding the entire sidewalk," Ms. Thao confided.
Many female environmental sanitation workers share that the best gift to celebrate International Women's Day is not bouquets of flowers, but understanding and sharing from others, especially from family and society.
Talking to reporters, Ms. Phung Thanh Tam - Vice President of the Hoa Binh City Labor Federation said: "The Trade Union always closely coordinates with businesses to ensure occupational safety and hygiene conditions for workers. At the same time, we also strive to work with the enterprise to fully implement the regimes and policies such as overtime and night shifts, helping workers have the best conditions".
According to Ms. Tam, the urban environment sector is special, workers have to directly collect waste, facing heavy work and many pressures.
