Bắc Ninh
Union housing programme offers new homes for struggling workers
BAC NINH - For years, hundreds of trade union members in the northern province of Bac Ninh have celebrated moving into new homes built under the “Trade Union Shelter” programme, a nationwide initiative designed to help disadvantaged families achieve stable housing. The programme, launched by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, has become a symbol of solidarity, providing both financial support and community backing.
A dream home realized
In Lien Bao commune’s Che village, 42-year-old kindergarten teacher Le Thi Huyen recently welcomed visitors into her newly built 70-square-metre house. For her, the modest but sturdy home represents the end of a long struggle.
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A representative of the provincial Labor Federation hands over financial support for building a “Trade Union Shelter” to Mai Thi Men, a worker at Ha Thanh Fashion Garment Joint Stock Company in Hoang Van commune. |
Huyen’s husband, once healthy and steadily employed, suffered a traffic accident that left him in fragile health. Medical expenses consumed nearly all the couple’s savings. On her teacher’s salary, she had to support her husband, care for elderly parents, and raise three school-aged children.
The family lived in a dilapidated single-story house that leaked during the rainy season. When her situation became known, the provincial labour federation stepped in, providing 50 million VND (2,194 USD) from the Union Shelter Fund. Neighbours, colleagues and local authorities also contributed cash, construction materials and labor.
“The support from the union gave me strength,” Huyen said. “It motivates me to teach better and raise my children with hope for the future”.
Another beneficiary, Bui Thi Anh, 39, a worker at Newwing Interconnect Technology Co. in Bac Giang province, expressed similar gratitude. Her husband has been chronically ill and unable to work, leaving her as the sole breadwinner for a family with two young children. For years, they lived in unsafe conditions.
In April, Anh moved into a new 100-square-metre house worth 600 million VND. Of that, the Union Shelter Fund provided 40 million VND, while her company’s union added 5 million VND. Local authorities donated essential furniture and household items.
“Now we have a safe place to live,” Anh said, adding that she can finally focus on her job without worrying about collapsing walls or a leaking roof.
Due attention and sharing
The Union Shelter Fund was established in 2008 as part of a wider push by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour to improve living standards for its members.
Since then, nearly 640 families have received assistance to either build or repair homes, with total funding reaching 17.9 billion VND. Support typically ranges from 25 to 50 million VND per household, depending on circumstances.
In 2025, the Bac Ninh Labour Federation has funded 52 new houses for workers and poor families, costing more than 7.7 billion VND. Of these, 35 homes were supported under the province’s campaign to eradicate temporary or unsafe housing, each with subsidies of 60 million VND. The remainder was funded directly under the union’s housing initiative.
The programme has not only drawn from workers’ contributions but also attracted donations from companies, institutions and charitable organizations.
Notable contributors include the Vietnam Chemicals Group, Ha Bac Fertilizer and Chemicals JSC, Ha Bac Garment Export JSC, and the Golden Heart Fund managed by Lao Dong newspaper.
One standout donor is Intermax Vietnam Co., a South Korean-owned garment manufacturer in Ngoc Thien commune. Operating since 2015, it employs over 1,100 workers, each earning an average monthly income of 10 million VND. According to union chairwoman Pham Thi Hanh, the company has maintained a welfare support fund to help workers facing sudden hardship.
Despite progress, officials acknowledge that many workers, especially preschool teachers and factory staff, remain trapped in inadequate housing.
Some have family members suffering from long-term illness or unemployment, making it impossible to afford home repairs. Yet these groups often fall outside the eligibility criteria of government or humanitarian housing programmes.
Thach Van Chung, Chairman of the Bac Ninh Labour Federation, emphasized the importance of secure housing for workers. “To enable them to contribute effectively, they need stability at home,” he said. “Helping them achieve safe housing is an investment in both human dignity and economic productivity”.
Chung said the federation would continue to expand the programme, mobilizing wider participation from enterprises, philanthropists and trade unionists.
“We will manage the fund transparently and ensure that support reaches the right people,” he added.
The Union Shelter initiative is more than a financial programme; it has become a rallying point for collective compassion. Local unions not only raise funds but also organize volunteers to provide construction labor, transport materials and offer moral support.
The homes, while simple, represent security, dignity and hope. For recipients like Huyen and Anh, the walls built by colleagues and neighbours are more than bricks and mortar—they are reminders that solidarity remains a powerful force in Vietnam’s workforce.
As the programme nears its second decade, trade unions hope to extend its reach further, aiming to eliminate unsafe housing among members while reinforcing the values of mutual assistance.
In the words of one beneficiary: “These houses are built not only with money, but with kindness and care. They give us more than shelter—they give us courage”.
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