Ensuring regimes and incomes for employees affected by the COVID-19 disease

19/03/2020 10:22 AM


On March 11, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor issued a document to the Trade Union at all levels to coordinate with local authorities and employers to consider and propose the settlement of unemployment insurance regimes, annual leave, sickness allowance, hardship allowance, etc. to ensure the income of employees affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Accordingly, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor requires all levels of Labor Union to persevere and strictly follow the current guideline of the epidemic prevention and control, which is "Stay urgent, resolute, calm, appropriate, no negligence, no hesitation, proactively detect and execute thorough prevention, not causing a spread of the disease". Fully demonstrate the spirit of the Chairman of ASEAN 36's Declaration of "cohesion and proactive adaptation", promote the role of Trade Union at all levels in propaganda, mobilize employees to support and proactively implement anti-epidemic solutions. Limit unnecessary activities that requires gathering people; strictly enforce mandatory medical declarations and quarantine according to regulations at the request of functional agencies to ensure thorough zoning and epidemic suppression.

The Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor of the provinces, cities and the Central Trade Union shall direct the Trade Union at all levels to propagate for employers and employees to strictly implement the Ministry of Health's Directive No. 1133/BYT-MT of March 9, 2020 on prevention against the Covid-19 epidemic in the workplace, dormitories, and boarding houses of employees by various forms (posters, leaflets, loudspeakers, IT, etc.) in order to convey accurate and simple information to all employees in order to understand about the disease, what to do and what not to do to prevent the epidemic at home, when using public transport, going to crowded places, to restaurants or supermarkets, going to work at the office or in the factories, etc. to ensure safety.

At the same time, based on practices from locals, industries and businesses, the Trade Union needs to coordinate with the government and employers to propagate and mobilize employees to join hands to overcome difficulties. Propose solutions to support employees in babysitting and managing their children while schools are closed. Ensure regular and continuous employment. Consider and propose the settlement of unemployment insurance regimes, annual leave, sickness allowance, hardship allowance, etc. to ensure the income of employees affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Propose to employers of enterprises with good conditions to organize re-training for the employees so that they can have job alternatives and adapt to the new situation.

At an appropriate time, the Trade Union at all levels, especially unions in proactive businesses or in collaboration with employers to organize conferences and seminars shall discuss solutions to join hands with the businesses in overcoming the consequences of COVID-19; encourage employees to boost production, improve labor productivity to achieve the "dual goals" of both preventing and controlling the epidemic and achieving economic growth, ensuring employment and income for the employees.

VSS