Vietnamese trade unions have announced plans to support workers during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, especially those who have not returned home in years.

Previously, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) instructed labour unions at all levels to develop their own plans and budgets to take care of members and workers during the Lunar New Year.

The longest and most important holiday in the country will fall in less than two months, when millions of migrants in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will start their journeys home.

The VGCL asked the unions to focus on helping disadvantaged workers and those who had suffered workplace accidents or occupational disorders. Workers who had been unable to afford return home in recent years were also a priority.

The unions were instructed to monitor employers to ensure they followed regulations regarding working conditions, and did not try to force workers to do more overtime than regulated or cut legitimate holiday leave, the VGCL stated.

Vehicles prepared by the unions to take members home should undergo safety checks, and they should consider organising Tet activities for workers who were unable to go home during the holiday.

According to the VGCL, the Hanoi Federation of Labour had already released its own plan to support migrant workers in the city.

The Hanoi union expected to hand out at least 6,500 gifts to poor members or their families. It also planned to offer 1,600 free bus ticket to migrant labourers for them to go home ahead of the holiday.

The Federation of Labour in Dong Nai province – which is an industrial hub in southern Vietnam – reported that it would present 2,500 gifts worth 1.25 billion VND (54,300 USD) to labourers, as well as 1,500 bus tickets.