In-depth
Vietnam considers support for workers
  • | Vneconomy, dtinews.vn | May 09, 2011 04:56 PM

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISa) is working out a long-term project to give support to workers in industrial parks.

Housing, day care and supply of essential goods are most important to workers

Doan Mau Diep, Deputy Minister of MOLISA, said the ministry would submit the project for approval from the Government in early July. The plan would give financial support to the workers most vulnerable to the negative effects of inflation.

It is necessary to understand and meet the long-term needs of workers, as opposed to just giving them a little money each month, Diep added.

He noted that issues related to housing, day care and supply of essential goods are most important. According to the official, most of the workers at Thang Long Industrial Park, in Hanoi, have to rent rooms or have their parents look after children, which can overburden a tight budget.

He suggested that the state should assist supply of essential goods, accommodation, and organise cultural programmes for workders.

Workers\' problems, society’s concerns

Lao Dong newspaper cited Nguyen Thi Thu Hong, Vice Chairman of Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, as saying that, currently around 10 million labourers are working at businesses and factories, most of them between 18 and 40 years old. Their monthly salary is just over VND1.5 million (USD72.4).

The economic situation of these workers can have negative social effects. Many couples cannot afford to marry for the lack of money. Those who do may find it difficult to support a family.

The rate of female labourers in industrial parks and export processing zones who abandon their newborn babies has been increasing by 20-30% each year.

My Linh, a worker of Fretrend Company in Linh Trung Export Processing Zone in Ho Chi Minh City said, “I live in a room with five people and we have to buy our food together in order to have enough to eat. We spend just VND15,000 (USD0.72) a meal to buy some vegetables and tofu.”

It is not uncommon for a group of 3-6 people to live in a 10 square metre room, which might cost around VND600,000 (USD28.90).

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