Despite various supportive policies, the lives of workers still face numerous challenges. Recently, there has been a focus on improving the quality of life, both materially and spiritually, for workers. The city authorities, along with various organizations, have shown continuous concern and effort in caring for and enhancing the well-being of workers. This, in turn, contributes to the peace of mind of workers and their valuable contribution to the economic and social development of the city.

OneSky Centre representative (8th, left) gives gifts to households in difficult circumstances in the city.

Settling into new accommodations

To ensure a lasting connection with out-of-town labour, Da Nang has made significant efforts to provide housing for workers. The worker housing area in Hoa Cam Industrial Zone, Cam Le District, has been operational since 2020, offering peace of mind to many labourers who choose Da Nang as their place of career development. Ms. Le Thi Khanh Ly, born in 1994, in Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province, and employed by Viet Nam Tokai Company Limited, found life more manageable after moving to the housing complex in October 2022. Previously, she had to travel over 60km daily, regardless of weather conditions, to commute to work. On days with overtime or adverse weather, the hazardous journey back home caused her considerable concern.

In the worker housing complex, monthly electricity and water expenses only cost around VND 500,000. Being just a 3-minute commute away from her workplace, Ms. Khanh Ly finds it both cost-effective and reassuring. "Coming to Da Nang in search of work due to the challenging life in the countryside, I often had to run back and forth to save on rent, despite the remote and desolate roads. The Trade Union helped me with the application process, and luckily, I secured a place in the worker housing complex, bringing me great happiness," shared one worker.

Another worker, Ms Loan, expressed happiness after moving to the worker housing complex, finding the new room to be more spacious, clean, and affordable compared to her previous rented accommodation.
Currently, the housing complex consists of 72 households with over 200 residents, a significant gift from the Da Nang Committee addressing the housing needs of workers in industrial zones, while also fostering a green and scenic living environment.

More models like Onesky’s Early Learning Center in Da Nang are needed to provide access to high-quality education environments at low costs for the children of impoverished workers. In addition to caring for workers, the city and various organizations and businesses always show concern for their children. The Onesky’s Early Learning Center in Da Nang, operational since 2017, provides care and education for the children of workers and labourers. This is the result of collaboration between the non-governmental organization OneSky and the Da Nang People's Committee, aiming to offer international educational opportunities for children in difficult circumstances.

Over the past 6 years, the centre has nurtured and educated 752 children, offering reasonable tuition fees, providing five meals a day, and flexible operating hours from Monday to Saturday. One mother, Ms Nguyen Thi Bich Van, shared that having her child enrolled in the centre not only helps the family save costs but also brings peace of mind as the child is ensured a good and safe educational environment.
 

Taking care of the spiritual well-being of workers

The improvement of the spiritual well-being of workers and labourers is increasingly receiving attention from trade unions at all levels. In the worker housing complex of Hoa Cam Industrial Zone, the Trade Union of High-tech and Industrial Zones in Da Nang has organized a library with network-connected computers, creating a space for activities and entertainment for children and the community.

In the Workers' Month of 2023, the City Labor Union presented 77 union warm houses while focusing on enhancing the spiritual well-being of workers. This year's Workers' Month, themed "Connecting Workers - Building Organizations," has brought cultural, artistic, and sports activities to foster unity among the worker community.

The Trade Union also arranged a workers' singing festival and cultural food exchange booths, aiding workers and businesses in gaining a deeper understanding of the cultures and behavioural styles within enterprises of various countries through these activities. Cultural and artistic activities have contributed to strengthening the bond among workers, fostering a love for the working environment, and enhancing Trade Union organizations to collectively build and develop, as stated by the Chairman of the Trade Union of High-tech and Industrial Zones in Da Nang, Nguyen Thanh Trung.

Recently, the Trade Union of High-tech and Industrial Zones presented 6,500 shopping vouchers totalling VND 650 million to 2,125 union members and workers at the workers' market. This support aims to assist nearly 400 union members facing difficulties, including those affected by occupational accidents, occupational diseases, serious illnesses, and unemployment, with a total of VND 396 million. Also in May, the city's leadership visited and gifted presents to labourers in self-managed workers' quarters in Lien Chieu District.

Ngo Xuan Thang, the Chairman of the Municipal Fatherland Front Committee, stated that the city always pays attention to implementing social security policies for the people, especially for policy beneficiary families, those with meritorious service, people in difficult circumstances, workers, and labourers.

Actively listen to the voices of the workers

While the city consistently focuses on caring for and supporting workers, the lives of labourers still encounter challenges. To implement meaningful initiatives for workers, both government agencies and businesses have organized dialogues to better understand the concerns of the labour force. At Foster Electronics Company in Da Nang, an annual labour conference provides a platform for workers to exchange ideas and express their opinions to the leadership.

Bui Minh Vu, the head of the Trade Union at the company, emphasizes that dialogue between leadership and workers is crucial to understanding practical needs, adjusting policies, minimizing conflicts, and fostering a stable and harmonious work environment.

Vu shares that many workers boldly propose improvements in worker care, receiving positive responses from the company's leadership, such as enhancing meal quality, organizing additional social activities, and addressing challenging situations to provide timely support.

The annual report from the city's education sector union highlights that all public units organize conferences for officials, employees, and labourers, with over 70% of non-governmental units conducting worker conferences and dialogues at workplaces. Chairman Tran Nguyen Minh Thanh emphasizes the union's commitment to understanding and addressing the challenges faced by educators and workers.

The focus is on caring for members, representing and protecting their legitimate rights, and contributing to improving their quality of life. The union also aims to innovate activities, strengthen inspection and supervision, and enhance the quality of organization and activities for members' and workers' peace of mind.

Da Nang Federation of Labour Vice Chairman Le Van Dai reports that recently, the National Assembly Delegation and City People's Council organized a specialized meeting with workers in Da Nang. This provided an opportunity for city leaders to listen to workers' legitimate concerns and aspirations.

Da Nang plans to increase investment and develop worker housing, starting with expanding living spaces for rent at the Hoa Cam Industrial Zone. Le Thi Phuoc Lai, a representative from the Labor Union of the Kindergarten Little My School, notes the high population of young and migrant workers in industrial zones, leading to a significant demand for kindergartens and preschools. Lai suggests the city invest in public preschools in industrial zones or prioritize land allocation for non-public preschools in the local educational land use planning to address workers' childcare needs in industrial zones.

Always accompanying workers and labourers

Lien Chieu District has two industrial zones with 4,032 businesses and 55,000 workers. The large number of businesses and workers poses challenges in caring for the workers' well-being. With the leadership and coordination from the Lien Chieu District Party Committee, along with support from the government, departments, and unions at various levels, efforts have been concentrated on ensuring regimes and policies for union members and labourers.

The union conducted a survey and established 29 self-management worker teams with approximately 4,952 participants. Through these teams, the union and local leadership gained insights for timely support. Emphasis is placed on caring for the life, representation, and protection of the legitimate rights and interests of union members and workers.

The District Federation of Labor actively gathered opinions from union members and workers regarding labour relations and policies. They proposed recommendations to higher authorities and unions to address and ensure the rights and urgent issues of workers. The union also monitors the implementation of salary policies, and Tet bonuses, and collaborates with grassroots unions to provide timely to support workers during the Lunar New Year.

In the future, the union plans to continue implementing the outlined plans in the early work program, focusing on communication and training for workers on digital transformation, vocational training for workers, testing vocational conversion for older workers, and participating in housing arrangements for workers at Hoa Cam Industrial Zone. Additionally, they aim to contribute suggestions for the improvement of relevant laws on housing and the upcoming amendment to the Social Insurance Law.

With the care and support of city leadership, government agencies, sectors, business owners, and social organizations, the lives of workers have been undergoing positive changes every day. Despite the current challenges, there is a need to intensify and make more practical efforts in the care and support of workers, allowing them to work with peace of mind, contribute to economic development, and enhance their quality of life.

Reporting by: DIEU MINH - THU DUYEN - XUAN HAU - QUOC CUONG - QUANG THAO- Translating by T.VY