Vietnamese Trade Union to survey workers on linking the Hung Kings' Temple holiday with the 30 April–1 May break

In a briefing with reporters on April 7, Mr. Ngọ Duy Hiểu, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, said that in recent days many grassroots unions, workers, and civil servants have submitted proposals to the agency to study swapping to create a seamless break between the Hung Kings' Temple holiday (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month) and the 30 April–1 May holiday. Based on this, the union will survey workers’ opinions on swapping the April holiday schedule. The survey content focuses on the Hung Kings' Temple holiday and the 30 April–1 May holiday. The opinions will be collected via social media. A representative of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor emphasized that the agency will listen to workers’ opinions. At the same time, it will study the relevant legal provisions and balance the interests of all sides, after which it will consult with the Ministry of Interior before presenting an official proposal. Earlier, according to the Ministry of Interior's notice on holidays and Tet in 2026, Hung Kings' Temple Day falls on Sunday, 26 April 2026, which is a weekly holiday. Therefore, for officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers who do not work on Saturdays and Sundays, they will be able to take a 3-day continuous break by compensating on Monday. Thus, the holiday period will run from Saturday, 25 April 2026 to Monday, 27 April. After the Hung Kings holiday, and two working days, workers will have an additional four-day break for the 30 April and 1 May holidays, consisting of two official days off following the two weekend days, with the break from Thursday, 30 April to Sunday, 3 May. On 3 April, Vu Trọng Bình, Director of the Department of Employment (Ministry of Interior), also stated that the holidays for 2026 have been approved by the Government and the Ministry has issued a notice. Therefore, there is currently no policy to swap working days to create a 9-day consecutive break for Hung Kings Day and 30 April–1 May. The Government’s decision on holiday schedules applies only to the public sector. For the private sector, holiday scheduling follows the Labour Code. Accordingly, employers and workers may flexibly agree on the holiday schedule, including swapping working days and days off. This arrangement depends on each enterprise, but must adhere to general principles, such as ensuring the minimum number of rest days per month or complying with working-time limits. Therefore, a clear distinction between public-sector and private-sector holiday calendars is necessary to avoid confusion. If workers need a longer break, they can use annual leave, but only with the employer's consent, not according to the government-wide schedule. Ministry of Interior: There is no plan to swap to allow a 9-day break for Hung Kings Day and 30 April–1 May 2026. 15:50, 03/04/2026