Da Nang has become one of the pioneering localities nationwide in effectively implementing the ‘Welfare for Trade Union Members’ programme, hereby bringing positive changes in enhancing the material and spiritual lives of labourer across the city.

A stand selling products at preferential rates at a fair held at the Da Nang IP

Officially launched last year by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, the programme aims at bringing great benefits to Trade Union members in a bid to appeal for even more labourers to join in this organisation.

According to incomplete statistics, to date, the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour has entered into cooperation agreements with 18 partners. Meanwhile, municipal/ provincial Labour Confederations and trade unions of national agencies have cooperated with 1,139 partners to launch attractive discount programmes for Trade Union members in an effort to bring practical benefits to millions of labourers countrywide.

In Da Nang, Trade Union organisations have cooperated with 9 businesses which have committed to providing goods and services which are priced at between 5% and 50% cheaper than those sold in the market.

Furthermore, these partners have also pledged to become actively involved in offering material and spiritual support for Trade Union members with difficult circumstances.

To date, a total of more than 42,000 Trade Union members have accessed products and services offered at preferential prices.

Notable, such well-known businesses as BIDV, the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), the Nutifood Nutrition Food Joint Stock Company, and the Da Nang Post Office have given gifts worth hundreds of millions of VND to beneficiaries.

Ms Hong Tram, a needy Trade Union member, expressed her delight at receiving a mobile phone as a gift under the programme. “From now onwards, I am able to keep in touch more often with my family members because I am living far away from family. In the past, I talked with my beloved ones on a phone owned by my landlord”, Ms Tram said.

Mr Tran Vu Duy Man, the Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Labour Federation said: “Each month we organise between one and two programmes selling goods at preferential prices in labour-intensive industrial parks (IPs).

Under such a sales programme, there are between 8 and 10 stands offering a wide range of food and other necessities of good quality and clear origin with their prices at least 5% cheaper than those sold in the local markets.

More recently, a fair offering products at preferential prices was opened at the Da Nang IP.
On sale here were such necessary items as clothing, footwear, detergents, toothpaste, and household utensils.

Mr Tran Vu Duy Man said that, in comparison to the previous events, this monthly fair was smaller in terms of scales, but it still attracted great deal of attention from workers, thereby helping busy workers find it very convenient to purchase their favourite items right in their IP and save time taken to go shopping for their families.

The next fair for workers is scheduled to run at the Hoa Khanh IP on 10 and 11 August.

Through many implementation ideas mentioned above, the ‘Welfare for Trade Union Members’ programme has proved practically effective.

In fact, the programme clearly demonstrates the city’s great efforts in active response to polices issued made by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour regarding the enhancement of the living standards of the labour force.