The 13th Congress of Vietnam Trade Union, term 2023-2028: Solving major issues facing workers

More than 11 million union officials, union members and workers are looking forward to the congress with the belief that it will be a great success.

Producing medical protective gear at TNT Technical Trading Company Limited (Phuc Tho district). *Photo: Nguyen Quang*

A special term

Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Ngo Duy Hieu shared that the past term was a special one, the union overcame all difficulties, demonstrating its adaptability in the context of facing many challenges. One of the key activities of the union is to dialogue with business owners to demand rights for workers. Collective work stoppages have decreased by 55.3% compared to the previous term.

At the same time, some effective models of caring for union members and workers, bearing the mark of the Trade Union organization, such as "Tet sum vay", "Thang cong nhan" ... have had a strong influence and deeply penetrated the grassroots. The "Tet sum vay" program alone in the past 5 years has taken care of more than 30 million union members and workers with a total amount of nearly 28,000 billion VND.

Also in the past 5 years, the Union has proposed to increase the regional minimum wage by 25.34%. Dialogue and collective bargaining activities have been strengthened, with many innovations. During the term, 15,832 new collective labor agreements were signed, bringing the total number of signed collective labor agreements to 42,550, reaching 72.12% of the total number of enterprises that have established grassroots unions.

Along with that, the "Union Welfare" program continues to be expanded, periodically reviewed, evaluated, and supplemented with new partners with incentives that directly serve the interests of workers. There are about more than 6.5 million union members and workers benefiting with a total amount of nearly 1,400 billion VND. Activities to visit and support people in difficult circumstances, those suffering from serious illnesses, work-related accidents, and occupational diseases are maintained with a total amount of more than 3,600 billion VND...

Stand with workers

According to the survey and assessment of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the most important and stressful issue for workers is currently unemployment. The unemployment rate tends to increase. Therefore, one of the important goals set out in the 13th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, term 2023-2028, is to continue to stand side by side and accompany workers to have better income and life.

Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department (Vietnam General Confederation of Labor) Nguyen Manh Kien said that the new point in the organization of this congress is: Strengthening discussions, opening 10 thematic forums to listen and propose initiatives for 10 major issues facing the Trade Union organization. The forums are organized right before the congress to collect opinions and proposals to synthesize, incorporate into the congress documents and form solutions to organize the implementation of the resolution.

Representing textile and garment workers, President of the Vietnam Textile and Garment Trade Union Pham Thi Thanh Tam hopes that the Vietnam Trade Union for the 2023-2028 term will make more practical decisions. In the immediate future, we will focus on amending and supplementing the Trade Union Law in the direction of creating favorable conditions for the operation of trade unions and effectively protecting the economic and political rights of trade union officials; at the same time, ensuring compatibility with international labor standards, Vietnam's commitments in new-generation free trade agreements, in accordance with Vietnam's socio-economic conditions and political institutions for union members and workers, especially female workers.

From the reality of accompanying and sharing with workers, the President of the Trade Union of Yazaki EDS Co., Ltd. Pham Thi Tuyet Nhung hopes that in the next term, the Trade Union will coordinate with the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs to have measures, guidance, and support for businesses to negotiate to include salary content in collective labor agreements and classify and identify jobs and groups of jobs so that workers have the right to negotiate a salary level worthy of their efforts. The whole society will be more fully aware of and pay more attention to trade union organizations and the working class.

On the morning of December 1, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, the first working session of the 13th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union took place. The congress listened to the presentation of the report on the results of the examination of the qualifications of congress delegates; the summary report of the Executive Committee of the 12th Vietnam General Confederation of Labor submitted to the congress; the review report of the Executive Committee of the 12th Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; and the report on amendments and supplements to the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union.
On the afternoon of December 1, the congress divided into discussion groups at 10 centers. The solemn session took place on the morning of December 2.

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