Celebrating 138 years of International Labor Day 1/5: Practical care for union members and workers

May - Workers' Month is always an anticipated meeting point for union officials, union members and workers. This year, with the theme: "Workers' solidarity - Implementing the resolution", many activities to care for material, spiritual and health issues have been carried out by unions at all levels.

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Festival of the working class and working people around the world

138 years ago, on May 1, 1886, tens of thousands of workers across the city of Chicago responded to the call of the American Federation of Labor to go on strike, hold rallies and demonstrate on the streets with the slogan "8-hour work day". This was an important event, marking the development of the world workers' movement and the inevitable result of the long struggle since the second half of the 19th century of workers in many countries when they were heavily exploited for their labor.

To recognize the achievements of the workers' movements in all countries, right at the founding congress of the Second International, on July 14, 1889, delegates of the working class passed a resolution to make May 1 the Day of Solidarity and Struggle of workers around the world.

International Labor Day May 1. (Illustration photo)

Responding to International Labor Day, on May 1, 1930, for the first time in the history of the workers' movement in Indochina, the Vietnamese working class under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam demonstrated in the streets to demonstrate revolutionary solidarity with international workers. At the same time, they directly fought against French colonialism, demanding that France improve working conditions, increase wages and implement the 8-hour labor law.

On May 1, 1946, for the first time in the history of our country, International Labor Day was solemnly celebrated in Hanoi with the participation of 200,000 working people. Since then, International Labor Day has become a major national holiday, a festival of the working class and Vietnamese laborers, affirming the historical mission, position and role of the working class in the struggle for peace, national independence and social progress.

Peak month of caring for union members and workers

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Workers' Month 2024, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khang, member of the Party Central Committee, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, said that May is a month of special significance for cadres, union members and workers as there is International Labor Day on May 1. May is also Workers' Month and Month of Action on occupational safety and hygiene, a peak month for organizing activities to care for union members and workers in all aspects, including material, spiritual and health.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khang, May is also the month that receives deep attention from Party committees at all levels, authorities, employers, and the response of a large number of union members, workers, civil servants, and laborers, which has a positive impact on the whole society. May has become a meeting point, a time of anticipation for union officials, union members, laborers, and those working in occupational safety and health nationwide.

President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang. (Photo: Urban Economics)

2024 is the 13th time Workers' Month has been organized according to the Decision of the Central Party Secretariat. Each year, the activities of Workers' Month have become more diverse, rich and practical.

Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Ngo Duy Hieu said: 2024 is the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union, the third year of implementing Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW, dated June 12, 2021 of the Politburo on "Innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation".

This May will be even more special when the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly in May 2024 will review and pass the Law on Social Insurance (amended) and give opinions on the Law on Trade Unions (amended). These are laws directly related to the lives, work of union members, workers and trade union activities.

Therefore, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor determined that the Workers' Month has the theme "Worker solidarity - Resolution implementation", with main activities including: Program "Bringing the Congress's resolution into life"; "May dialogue"; "Thematic contact with worker voters"; "Thanking workers".

Many practical activities

Following the policy of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, since April, many local labor federations have shown initiative and achieved encouraging initial results.

The Labor Federation of Thua Thien Hue province supported the construction and repair of the Trade Union Shelter on the occasion of Workers' Month with a total budget of 380 million VND. Ms. Tran Thi Van (1990), a worker at a seafood processing factory at Hue Seafood Development Joint Stock Company, said that her family's life is difficult, her husband does not have a stable job, her children are still in school, and she and her husband are taking care of their elderly parents. All family expenses depend on her salary as a worker. For many years, her family has lived in a temporary house. At the beginning of this year, she and her husband planned to borrow money to build a house.

“While I was struggling, the company union informed me about the Union Shelter program, so I immediately applied for support. With the amount of 40 million VND, my husband and I’s housing burden was reduced. That’s why I will never forget this joy,” said Ms. Van.

Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Labor Federation Vo Manh Son presented funding to support the construction of a “Union Shelter” for union members with difficult housing circumstances. (Photo: Thanh Hoa Newspaper)

The “Union Shelter” program was also implemented by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Labor Federation when it presented 20 gifts worth 1 billion VND to workers with housing difficulties. In addition, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Labor Federation also presented 1,116 gifts worth more than 1.5 billion VND to workers in difficult circumstances; 650 gifts worth 1.5 billion VND to workers with illnesses or serious illnesses.

In Hanoi, the Capital Trade Union at all levels organized many activities to visit and support workers in difficult circumstances, those who had work-related accidents or occupational diseases; connected, introduced, and created job and vocational training opportunities for union members and workers. At the same time, the grassroots Trade Union also increased negotiation and dialogue activities at the workplace, built harmonious, stable, and progressive labor relations; cared for the lives, jobs, salaries, bonuses, benefits, and working conditions of workers; organized skill competitions, skilled worker competitions, and commended excellent workers, initiatives, and creativity.

Tien Hung Textile Joint Stock Company (Hung Yen) cooperated with Vietnam Textile Hospital to organize periodic health check-ups for employees on the occasion of Workers' Month 2024. (Photo: Tien Hung Textile)

It can be seen that the peak period of caring for workers is increasingly developing more widely, penetrating deeply into the grassroots, associated with the needs and aspirations of workers, becoming the responsibility of Party committees at all levels, authorities, trade unions, the labor - war invalids and social affairs sector, enterprises as well as the whole society to act together for the safety and happiness of workers. It is not only the gifts and shelters given, but also the warm feelings, love and sharing of trade unions in particular for workers in difficult circumstances and the concern and care of the whole society to join hands in building a modern and strong Vietnamese working class.

More than 10,000 Vietnamese workers go to work abroad in February 2024

The Department of Overseas Labor Management, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said that according to data reported by enterprises, the total number of Vietnamese workers working abroad in February 2024 was 10,553, including 2,789 female workers.

Croatia wants to recruit "skilled" workers from Vietnam

This information was shared by the Croatian State Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Pensions and Social Affairs - Mr. Ivan Vidis in a discussion with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang about the potential for labor cooperation between the two countries on March 14. The meeting took place within the framework of the visit and political consultation between the Vietnamese and Croatian Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/ky-niem-138-nam-ngay-quoc-te-lao-dong-15-thiet-thuc-cham-lo-cho-doan-vien-nguoi-lao-dong-199426.html