VietNamNet Bridge - The Government has approved the 9-day lunar New Year (Tet) holiday proposed by Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang. The vacation time will last from January 28 to February 2, 2014.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting on December 2, Transport Minister Dinh La Thang said that with the current Tet holiday schedule, people would have only one day off before Tet and several days off after Tet, resulting in great traffic pressure and the increase of traffic accidents. It also raises difficulty for workers in preparing for the Tet, so many civil servants dodge work to go shopping for the Tet.

Thang proposes to increase the day-off before Tet by two days and they will be compensated on the weekend before Tet (January 25-26).

"That schedule will also help stimulate demands because people will have more shopping time," said Minister Thang.

Last year, the Lunar New Year holiday also lasted for nine days, from January 28 to February 5.

The proposal of Minister Thang was supported by Minister of Labor Minister Pham Thi Hai Chuyen and all cabinet members.

However, Chuyen did not agree on the compensation days on January 25-26 (Saturday and Sunday) because workers will have to work for eight consecutive days, which is the violation to the Labor Code. Chuyen suggested January 25 (Saturday) and one Saturday after Tet.

Chuyen’s proposal was approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. However, the PM said that the long holiday must not affect export-import operations.

Tran Cham