On November 2, the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor issued a directive on monitoring the implementation of wages, bonuses and Lunar New Year care programs for the 2027 Lunar New Year. The initiative aims to safeguard workers' rights and proactively prevent labor disputes.
The federation called on grassroots unions to work closely with businesses, monitor production conditions and oversee the full and timely payment of wages. Unions are also encouraged to negotiate with and persuade employers to pay January 2027 salaries early or provide salary advances so workers have funds for holiday shopping and celebrations.
Grassroots unions are instructed to urge companies to announce their Tet bonus plans early, clearly specifying bonus amounts and payment schedules, with a target completion date of November 30, 2026. For businesses with sufficient resources, unions are encouraged to advocate for the payment or partial advance of bonuses during November and December 2026.
Unions are also required to review cases involving workers with unpaid wages, job losses, reduced working hours, serious illnesses, workplace accidents or difficult circumstances in order to propose support measures under the resources and plans of the city federation.
For businesses with prolonged wage arrears, unpaid social insurance contributions, signs of operational suspension or risks of labor disputes and collective work stoppages, grassroots unions must closely monitor developments and immediately report them to higher-level unions for coordinated action.
The Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor also directed unions at wards, communes, special zones and industrial parks to strengthen oversight of local businesses and coordinate with authorities and relevant agencies to protect workers' rights, including at enterprises that do not yet have union organizations.
In cases that could lead to collective work stoppages, business shutdowns or serious impacts on workers' rights and interests, units must report immediately through the fastest available channels rather than waiting for regular reporting deadlines.
Under the plan, industrial park unions and task forces are required to submit a preliminary report to the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor before December 3, 2026, followed by a second report before January 15, 2027.
According to the plan of the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor, the organization intends to provide support to approximately 370,000 union members and workers for the 2027 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday. All initiatives will be focused at the grassroots level, with priority given to workplaces with large numbers of employees; the goal is to ensure that all workers facing financial hardship receive meaningful aids.
As announced by the federation, starting November 15, 2026, the organization will distribute early Tet gifts to workers in difficult circumstances, providing VND1 million to each individual via bank transfer. It is estimated that between 350,000 and 400,000 people will receive this support.
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