VGCL proposes continuing to aid laid-off workers

The VGCL forecasts that the labour market will continue to bear many risks and challenges until the end this year. (Photo courtesy of baodansinh.vn)

Hanoi - The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) has proposed continuing the implementation of a resolution supporting its members and employees who lost their jobs or had their working time reduced as their enterprises suffered from a reduction in orders.

Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLD was issued by the VGCL’s Presidium on January 16, 2023 providing allowances to union members and non-member employees who were affected from October 1, 2022 to the end of March 31, 2023.

The VGCL is studying to support this group of workers in cash with an estimated cost of about 145 billion VND (over 6 million USD).

According to a report by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, in the first five months this year, 509,903 employees lost their jobs, quit, had working hours reduced, were temporarily suspended labour contracts or took unpaid leave, accounting for about 3.4 per cent of the total number of employees in enterprises.

The number of employees who lost their jobs or quit was 279,000 people, while 195,039 employees had their working hours reduced and 17,003 employees were suspended from work or took unpaid leave.

The situation of unemployed and laid-off workers was mainly in provinces and big cities with many industrial parks and export processing zones such as Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City.

The VGCL forecast that the labour market will continue to bear many risks and challenges because of a decrease in purchasing power in export markets, Russia – Ukraine conflict, inflation, price hike, and tight monetary policy in many countries.

This leads to the situation that workers continue to lose their jobs and their working hours cut off, reduce income, and face many difficulties.

The difficult situation is forecast to continue until the end of 2023.

Therefore, the VGCL proposes to continue implementing the policy of supporting trade union members and employees according to Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLD.

The support period is from April 1 to the end of December 31. The deadline for receiving applications is the end of January 31, 2024.

The deadline for completing support procedures for trade union members and employees is March 31, 2024.

The total estimated cost is about 145 billion VND (over 6 million USD).

Previously, implementing Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLD, trade unions at all levels provided one-time financial support in cash to union members and employees at enterprises and co-operatives that have paid union’s fees before September 30, 2022 and had their working time reduced or their labour contracts terminated from October 1, 2022 to the end of March 31, 2023.

The level of financial support for trade union members was from 1-3 million VND (42-125 USD).

Employees who are not trade union members were entitled to a support level equal to 70 per cent of the support level for the union members.

To date, the total amount of support was more than 114.5 billion VND (6.8 million USD) given for 81,676 union members and employees.

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