On the eve of the 14th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, term 2026-2031, Lao Dong Newspaper had an exchange with Mr. Ha Duy Trung - Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province, Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial VGCL - on recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the work of representing, caring for and protecting the rights of union members and workers (UM, W).
- How do you assess the major orientations in the Draft Political Report submitted to the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress (Draft) in the new development context of the country?
- First of all, I affirm that the Draft is a document with a strategic vision, breakthrough and closely following the breath of the "Nation's Rising Era".
Through research, I especially appreciate the following 3 key orientations:
First, the Draft does not only stop at protecting basic rights but has been elevated to a human development strategy. In the context of increasing living costs in urban areas and industrial parks, this orientation helps workers not only "survive" but also have conditions to accumulate, regenerate labor and care for future generations. This will strengthen union members' trust in the Trade Union organization.
Second, in the context of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and artificial intelligence (AI) strongly changing the labor market, the Draft has clearly identified the role of technology and innovation. Increasing the rate of trained workers and promoting lifelong learning is an urgent requirement. Trade unions must not only care for spiritual life but also support workers to improve their professional skills and adapt to the automation process in production.
Third, the Draft shows the determination to streamline the apparatus to strongly focus on the grassroots level. This is not simply cutting personnel but "concentrating resources on the grassroots level". Focusing on grassroots trade unions, trade unions and informal sector workers shows that the Trade Union is proactively seeking workers, listening to them through digital platforms and modern communication channels, instead of waiting for them to come to the organization.
- From local practice, in your opinion, what contents need to be emphasized more to improve the effectiveness of representing, caring for and protecting union members and workers?
- From the reality in Gia Lai, in my opinion, the Draft needs to emphasize 5 key contents to make Trade Union activities more substantive and effective, including
First, it is necessary to build a team of full-time Trade Union officials in a multi-talented direction, understanding the law, negotiation skills and digital technology. The focus must be on grassroots Trade Unions; officials in charge of localities must provide faster and more practical support.
Second, it is necessary to strongly innovate care activities. Care should not only stop at giving Tet gifts or visiting when sick, but must focus on the core and sustainable needs of workers such as social housing, trade union institutions, and physical and mental health care.
Third, in the context of strong AI development, the Trade Union needs to promote the application of digital platforms such as VNeID, social networks, Trade Union applications... to grasp the thoughts and aspirations of union members and workers. Technology needs to become a channel to receive feedback and online legal advice 24/7 so that workers can easily access the support of the Trade Union.
Fourth, it is necessary to focus on establishing grassroots trade unions for freelance workers such as technology drivers, seasonal workers, street vendors... To attract them to participate in the organization, the Trade Union must bring clear benefits such as legal support, voluntary social insurance and practical welfare packages.
Fifth, the Trade Union needs to proactively negotiate to improve the rights of workers, especially wages, rest time, occupational safety and health, and retraining skills so that workers are not eliminated by new technologies.
Trade union activities in the next term must take "satisfaction and trust" of workers as a measure to become a solid support for the working class in the era of national rise.
- What are your suggestions on solutions to innovate the organization and operation of Trade Unions in the new period?
- In my opinion, the Trade Union needs to continue to innovate the organizational model in a streamlined, specialized, and grassroots-oriented direction.
It is necessary to review and arrange organizational models in accordance with changes in administrative areas, labor structure, business types and new development spaces. The focus is on reducing intermediate levels, overcoming the situation of dispersed and formal management; and at the same time building a sufficiently strong upper-level Trade Union model in industrial parks and economic zones.
Organizational innovation is not only about arranging the apparatus, but more importantly, improving the capacity to represent, coordinate, support grassroots trade unions and handle labor relations early and remotely.
Along with that, it is necessary to strongly innovate the content of activities in the direction of putting union members and workers at the center. Trade union activities must shift from administrative and movement to directly serving the practical needs of workers such as jobs, wages, meals, housing, labor safety, welfare and vocational training.
The Trade Union also needs to promote digital transformation in management, administration and union member gathering; build a unified database on union members, businesses, trade union officials, collective labor agreements and labor relations... Through this, the Trade Union can firmly grasp the area, forecast risks early, receive feedback and evaluate operational efficiency.
Finally, renovating the organization and activities of the Trade Union must be associated with the task of building a modern Vietnamese working class with political bravery, professional qualifications, labor discipline and adaptability to digital transformation, green transformation and international integration.
When workers are better cared for, more substantively represented and have conditions for more comprehensive development, the Trade Union organization will truly become a center of solidarity, gathering the working class in the new period.
