Vietnam trade unions to reform towards worker-centred approach

Vietnam trade unions at all levels will reform towards a worker-centred approach with more focus on capacity building for trade union members and officials and providing support to scale up successful business models in the next five years, said a trade union leader.

President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour Bui Van Cuong. (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) will work to enhance its capacity to protect rights of labourers and their social welfare interests and take a more active role in formulating policies for workers and balancing the employee-employer relationship from 2018 – 2023, VGCL President Bui Van Cuong told Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the 12^th VGCL Congress, which will open on September 24.

Talking about the VGCL’s performance over the last five years, Cuong said its biggest success was to hold annual dialogues between the Prime Minister and workers since 2016. To date, three dialogues have been held, during which workers had their opinions and proposals heard by the government leader, thus contributing to increasing trust and ties between the Party, State and the working class, he noted.

The VGCL has carried out various programmes to benefit its members. It has cooperated with nearly 1,160 groups, corporations and businesses to provide goods and services for workers at softer prices.

It has also given free bus rides to disadvantaged workers across the country to help them reunite with their families during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in a programme named “Tet Sum Vay” (Reunited Tet). The programme, worth over VND 8.5 trillion (USD 364,600), has benefited more than 8 million workers so far, according to Cuong.

From 2013 – 2018, the VGCL has spent over VND 500 billion (USD 21.5 million) building or repairing houses for more than 20,000 impoverished employees, he added.

As many as 950 Vietnamese delegates and seven international delegations will attend the 12^th VGCL Congress, which is scheduled to take place in Hanoi from September 24-26.

The congress will look to accelerate organisational reform and trade union activities, focus on protecting and taking care of trade union members and labourers, as well as enhancing popularity to build a strong working class that can contribute to building and protecting the country.

The congress will discuss and adopt various reports of the VGCL, including reviews of the last five years in implementing the 11^th Congress’s resolution and missions for the 2018-2023 tenure, and the amendment of the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union, among others.

Participants will work to pass the resolution of the 12^th Congress, with missions, solutions, and breakthroughs in the 2018-2023 tenure, and elect an executive board of the 12^th VGCL with 175 members.

“The VGCL accompanying the Government to improve the national competitiveness and sustainably develop the country” forum will be held on September 26, creating opportunities for participants to express their wishes and affirm their determination in joining hands with the Government to boost socio-economic development./.

VNF/VNA