Affirming the role of representative
The 2023-2025 term is probably one of the most turbulent periods for the Da Nang Trade Union organization with the merger of administrative units, rearrangement of the two-level government model, termination of trade union organizations in agencies receiving 100% salary from the state budget, streamlining focal points, streamlining staff... All have created a real "test" for the courage and adaptability of the trade union system.
In that context, according to Ms. Phan Thi Thuy Linh - President of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, the most prominent bright spot is the Da Nang Labor Union that still maintains and raises its role as a representative, protecting the legitimate and legal rights and interests of workers. Not by slogan, but by the effectiveness of collective bargaining, dialogue, legal consultation and dispute resolution.
The rate of 86.9% of units and enterprises signing collective labor agreements, of which 37% are rated with a rating of B or higher - higher than the national average - is an important indicator that collective bargaining is not "slowing down" during the restructuring period.
Along with that, there are thousands of legal consultations and hundreds of cases that trade unions participate in resolving, protecting the rights and wages, and welfare of union members and workers with amounts of up to billions of VND.
The representative also shows that the trade union proactively participates in policy making and supervision. From giving comments on regulations on wages, insurance, working conditions, to participating with the National Assembly Delegation and People's Councils in meetings and thematic dialogues with voters who are workers. There, the voices of workers, civil servants, and laborers no longer "go around" but are reflected directly, have responsible addresses, and have a mechanism for monitoring to the end.
Raising social security care
The second highlight, also in the "representative, caring, and protecting" axis, is the way the Da Nang Trade Union takes social security care to the workers' dormitory door, not just stopping at prominent programs. Activities such as "Tet Sum Vay", "Union Tet Market", "Union Shelter", "Union Bus trip", "Union Meal", capital support funds, preferential loans... have become the brand of the Da Nang Trade Union.
But what makes Da Nang unique is its way of linking social security with reorganizing the lives of workers in boarding houses. The 75 model of "Self-managed workers' group in boarding houses" with nearly 15,000 workers participating is a typical example.
There, the trade union not only distributed free newspapers, equipped with legal bookcases, TVs, and mobile speakers, but also turned disjointed boarding houses into living spaces, supported and grasped the thoughts of workers.
The fact that this model was chosen by the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee as one of 16 Skilled Mass Mobilization models that need to be replicated shows that this is not only a trade union initiative, but also a modern form of social mobilization, in line with the new labor structure said Ms. Phan Thi Thuy Linh.
According to Ms. Phan Thi Thuy Linh, the care for social security in the past term has also been promoted by the Da Nang Trade Union as a strategy, associated with projects on housing, cultural institutions, kindergartens, workers' supermarkets, and safe and clean boarding standards. From this perspective, the representative role of the Trade Union does not stop at "demanding rights" but also works with the government and businesses to design long-term policies on social infrastructure for the working class.
At the same time, the emulation movement system such as "Good workers, creative workers", "Good at public work, good at housework", "Green - clean - beautiful, ensuring occupational safety and hygiene" ... is still maintained enthusiastically, creating motivation for tens of thousands of initiatives and technical solutions, bringing great benefits to businesses and society, closely linked to the lives, income and working environment of workers.
