Creating breakthroughs in human resources and innovation to improve labor productivity

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Forum.

Also attending were representatives of leaders of ministries, departments, branches, and central agencies; 450 union officials, union members, civil servants, and public employees, including 95 workers who are exemplary in creativity and high productivity, selected from sectors, localities, and units nationwide, carrying the passion and responsibility of more than 11 million union members and nearly 18 million workers nationwide.

Implementing the Plan to organize activities for Workers' Month 2024, with the attention and consensus of the Prime Minister, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor organized the National Labor Productivity Improvement Forum, which is an opportunity for trade union officials, union members, civil servants, public employees, and workers to promote their roles and responsibilities in proposing and recommending solutions to promote national labor productivity, contributing to the development of a prosperous and happy country.

The Forum is also an important activity in a series of exciting and practical activities organized by Trade Unions at all levels across the country during Workers' Month 2024 and towards the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Trade Union (July 28, 1929 - July 28, 2024). The Forum is an opportunity for trade union officials, civil servants, public employees, workers, experts, managers, and business owners to exchange and discuss the current situation of Vietnam's labor productivity, the causes and bottlenecks of labor productivity, and propose and recommend solutions to promote the increase of Vietnam's labor productivity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates attending the Forum.

The opinions presented at the Forum shared experiences in improving labor productivity. Accordingly, the results of productivity increase in the past period have been positive, but increasing productivity in the upcoming period is a challenge, because moving from a low-income country to a middle-income country is much easier than from a middle-income country to a high-income country.

International experience shows that increasing productivity in the coming period cannot rely on continuing on the path that has been taken, but requires a transformation of the model, a transformation of the economy along with a transformation of employment, labor force and skills. Therefore, workers also recommend that the Government, the Prime Minister, leaders of ministries, branches, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and Trade Unions at all levels have many solutions to train and improve the skills of workers, providing high-quality human resources for businesses; ensuring salary and bonus regimes, paying attention to improving the lives, incomes and morale of workers, improving working conditions, ensuring a safe working environment; taking care of developing social housing for workers and accompanying institutions; training industrial style, raising awareness and labor discipline to have labor productivity, thereby promoting the role of workers in improving national labor productivity.

President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang spoke at the Forum.

Speaking at the forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that this Forum is even more meaningful as it is held on the occasion of Workers' Month 2024 and towards the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Trade Union (July 28, 1929 - July 28, 2024). The Prime Minister highly appreciated the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor for choosing a very correct, very accurate, very necessary and especially important topic for the rapid and sustainable development of the country in the current period.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the report of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the frank, enthusiastic, responsible and practical comments of the delegates, representatives of workers and enterprises. Among them, there were many constructive and very positive comments, clearly reflecting the bottlenecks, difficulties and obstacles in improving labor productivity; providing good models and good practices; especially proposing and recommending profound and specific solutions.

The Prime Minister emphasized that, through the opinions, 6 important contents can be drawn: loving the profession, loving labor; always learning, improving knowledge and skills; complying with environmental hygiene, labor safety, building a healthy working environment; always innovating; being treated appropriately in terms of material and spiritual aspects, especially salary, bonus, and honoring workers; The Government, Trade Unions, and related entities must build a good labor ecosystem. Throughout this process, people are the center of the subject, resource, and goal of development and increasing labor productivity, not sacrificing progress and social justice to pursue economic growth alone.

Forum View.

The Prime Minister requested ministries, agencies and localities to fully synthesize recommendations, proposals and suggestions from union members and workers; focus on reviewing and absorbing to the maximum to perfect mechanisms, policies and related legal regulations and improve the effectiveness of implementation, create the best ecological environment for workers, promote the spirit of innovation, creativity and patriotism. The Prime Minister requested the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to study, absorb and have specific solutions for opinions related to functions, tasks and authority for implementation in the coming time.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh dialogues with workers at the Forum.

Recently, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman concluded: “Productivity is not everything, but it is almost everything.” In today’s world, increasing labor productivity is one of the most important factors for developing countries to strive to rise up, towards rapid and sustainable development, and escape the middle-income trap like Vietnam.

The Prime Minister affirmed that our Party and State always pay special attention to labor productivity and focus on solutions to increase labor productivity: increasing social labor productivity is one of the main targets set out in the Resolution of the Party Congress. To increase labor productivity, from the 11th Congress to the present, our Party has clearly identified human resource development as one of the three strategic breakthroughs (along with institutional and strategic infrastructure development). In particular, the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress emphasized the development of human resources associated with science, technology and innovation - These are the fundamental, core factors and create the foundation for increasing labor productivity quickly and sustainably.

The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress sets out many specific key tasks, including: strongly innovating the growth model, restructuring the economy, improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy. To concretize the policies according to the Resolution of the Party Congress, the Government and the Prime Minister have issued and organized the implementation of mechanisms, policies, strategies and plans related to improving labor productivity. In particular, on November 8, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1305/QD-TTg approving the "National Program on increasing labor productivity by 2030" with the goal of: by 2030, labor productivity will become an important driving force for rapid and sustainable growth, effectively exploiting the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Increasing labor productivity has contributed positively to the country's socio-economic development, especially increasing income and improving people's lives. In the first quarter of 2024, the average income of workers was 7.6 million VND, an increase of 549 thousand VND over the same period in 2023. We affirm that achieving the above important results is thanks to the correct guidelines, policies, and solutions of the Party and State; the close cooperation and coordination of agencies in the political system, including the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; the drastic, effective, focused, and key direction of the Government, all levels, sectors, and localities; the efforts of each worker, people, and business community, with the help of international friends.

View of the National Labor Productivity Improvement Forum.

On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged, highly appreciated and commended the efforts of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Trade Unions at all levels, the business community and the entire workforce of workers and laborers nationwide in enthusiastically competing in labor production, increasing labor productivity, and contributing to the overall achievements of the country.

In addition to the basic results achieved, the implementation of the target of increasing labor productivity in our country still has limitations, inadequacies, difficulties and challenges, as many delegates have pointed out. Although there has been improvement, Vietnam's labor productivity is still low; in the period 2021-2023, the labor productivity growth rate is lower than the set target (5.5%/year). In absolute terms, Vietnam's labor productivity is still low compared to other countries in the region: Vietnam's labor productivity in 2022 is only equivalent to 11.4% of Singapore, 24.7% of Korea, 26.3% of Japan, 35.4% of Malaysia, 64.8% of Thailand, 79% of Indonesia, 94.5% of the Philippines. The gap in labor productivity and development levels between regions, areas and areas is still quite large. The fundamental factors for rapid and sustainable increase in labor productivity still face many obstacles and problems, and have not really made a breakthrough...

Workers' representatives speak at the Forum.

The Prime Minister emphasized that in the coming time, the international situation is forecast to continue to develop rapidly, complicatedly, and unpredictably, as many delegates have mentioned. It can be summarized as follows: overall, there is peace but locally there is war; overall, there is reconciliation but locally there is tension; overall, there is stability but locally there is conflict. Especially, in the context of increasingly fierce competition, while the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and science and technology are developing explosively and changing every day, improving labor productivity has become a very important and vital issue for all countries, especially developing countries, including Vietnam.

“3 boosts” include: Boosting the completion of the legal framework, creating a favorable investment and business environment, promoting business development, and promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. Boosting the mobilization and effective use of all resources for development from both inside and outside, especially public-private partnerships, selectively attracting foreign investment. Boosting the implementation of strategic breakthroughs in human resource development, especially high-quality human resources associated with science and technology, and innovation to create a foundation for increasing labor productivity.

“3 pioneers” include: Pioneering in digital transformation, green transformation, developing circular economy, sharing economy, knowledge economy, emerging industries and fields, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development. Pioneering in international integration, taking advantage of all opportunities, promoting different potentials, outstanding opportunities, competitive advantages to improve production and business efficiency. Pioneering in emulation movements to increase labor productivity, promoting initiatives in management, production and business organization, technical innovation, strongly promoting initiatives to increase labor productivity.

“3 breakthroughs” include: Breakthrough in human resource development, especially high-quality human resource training and vocational training. Breakthrough in science and technology, innovation, especially in emerging industries and fields. Breakthrough in the working environment, ensuring green, clean, beautiful, ensuring the legitimate and legal rights and interests of workers.

Regarding the key tasks and solutions to increase labor productivity, the Prime Minister requested all levels, sectors, and localities and suggested that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and Trade Unions at all levels join hands to focus on implementing the tasks and solutions to increase labor productivity according to the Resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government, and the direction of the Prime Minister; focusing on the following key contents:

Firstly, prioritize promoting growth - considering this as the foundation for increasing labor productivity, paying attention to macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major balances.

Second, promote the implementation of strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure, especially human resources associated with science, technology and innovation.

Third, focus on improving the quality of education, training and vocational training at all levels, grades, sectors and fields, ensuring the training of human resources with reasonable quality, quantity and structure.

Fourth, promote the transformation of labor structure from informal to formal, from low-productivity agriculture to higher-productivity industry and service sectors.

Fifth, promote industrialization and modernization; increase the proportion of industrial, service, and agricultural industrialization sectors.

Sixth, take care of legitimate rights and interests, salary treatment, social welfare, health care, culture, education, sports, especially housing for workers.

At the same time, the Prime Minister requested the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to: promote the role of representative organizations, especially the role of participating in social management, acting as a bridge to carry out policy dialogue activities, and sharing experiences on increasing labor productivity. Coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to research and propose the development of a program to support and develop vocational skills for workers. Regularly exchange and dialogue with the business community, investors and workers and propose appropriate solutions. Focus on negotiation, dialogue, signing and implementation of collective labor agreements, contributing to ensuring the legitimate and legal rights and interests of workers. Step up propaganda and mobilize workers to improve their professional qualifications and working skills. Innovate the work of commendation, strongly promote initiatives to increase labor productivity, and honor workers.

The Prime Minister suggested that the business community: further promote the role of enterprises - the main entity creating material wealth for society; strongly apply science and technology, especially digital technology and green technology. Increase labor productivity, increase value, not increase working time of workers. Pay attention to the material and spiritual life of workers; focus on training and retraining; create a safe and clean working environment; have a salary and bonus regime for workers with many initiatives, high productivity, and good quality.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested all workers and laborers to further promote the role of laborers - the subject directly participating in the production process, creating wealth, material and spiritual for society. Constantly improve, self-study to improve qualifications, skills, expertise, experience, adaptability. Enhance the sense of responsibility, dynamism and creativity, improve productivity, quality and efficiency of work. Innovate working style, awareness of law compliance and labor discipline, create a healthy, equal and effective working environment. Improve knowledge and working skills; with a deep awareness that labor productivity is closely linked to income, quality of life of oneself and family and brings benefits to the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh took a souvenir photo with 95 outstanding union members and workers.

The Prime Minister emphasized that improving labor productivity is an important, urgent, strategic and long-term task of the entire political system - the shortest way for our country to catch up with developed countries in the region and the world. We hope and believe that, with the spirit of "Vietnam Trade Union accompanies the Government to improve national competitiveness and sustainable development of the country", the Vietnam Trade Union, all union members and workers nationwide will join hands, join forces, and strive with the whole country to successfully achieve the strategic goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030, and becoming a developed country with high income by 2045.

At the Forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated, presented gifts, and took souvenir photos with 95 outstanding union members and workers nationwide who have high labor productivity, many initiatives, and achievements in labor production. The number of 95 union members and workers symbolizes 95 years of establishment and growth of the Vietnam Trade Union.

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