Trade Union meals are more crowded and fun than usual, so everyone is excited
At the 2025 Trade Union Meal for 160 union members and workers of Factory Z133 (General Department of Logistics - Technology), Ms. Nguyen Linh Trang (who had only been in the Factory for 1 month at that time) said: "Normally, the Factory's lunch meal has 3 main dishes, one vegetable dish, soup; meals according to needs are already nutritious, sometimes not finished. Meals at the Trade Union Meal, the amount of food is almost double. More importantly, the Trade Union Meal is more crowded and fun than usual, so everyone is excited, wanting to say thank you to the Trade Union, thank you to the Factory's leadership and command". On normal days, the lunch meal meal is worth 25,000 VND, while at the Trade Union Meal, the meal is worth 50,000 VND, of which 25,000 VND is from Trade Union funds. The Trade Union's coordination from the organization stage, meal expenses clearly shows the role of the Trade Union organization in accompanying and caring for the lives of workers in military enterprises. Especially at the Trade Union Meal, 15 union members in difficult circumstances received gifts from the National Defense Trade Union, each worth 500,000 VND. Also on this occasion, leaders and commanders of Factory Z133 presented 10 gifts, each worth 500,000 VND, to 10 union members in difficult circumstances. These 25 gifts show concern, sharing, and timely encouragement for union members and workers to feel secure in their work and attached to the unit and the Trade Union organization.
The joy comes to union members and workers at the Trade Union Meal not only from meals with more dishes and more nutrients but also because they sit together to share, confide and especially to review the history of the country and the Trade Union organization together.
Ms. Le Thi Hao - a worker with 7 years of experience at Meiko Vietnam Co., Ltd. could not hide her emotion when recalling the 80-year history of the country before eating the Trade Union Meal. She shared: I understand that to have today, many people have sacrificed their lives, so I and my colleagues will have to try to live well, work well... This is the first time Ms. Hao has experienced the Trade Union Meal organized by the Company's Trade Union in coordination with the Board of Directors. According to her, the food is full of nutrients, much better than daily meals. She chooses stir-fried ribs, fried shrimp, stir-fried vegetables, after eating, there is still leftover rice because the food is of poor quality.
From the policy of the VGCL, some units organize Trade Union Meals for union members and workers at very high levels. Tan Cang Hai Phong International Container Port Co., Ltd., Corps 20 organizes Trade Union Meals with a meal of 300,000 VND. It can be said that this is the highest guaranteed meal level for units throughout the army. On normal days, the lunch meal has 4-5 dishes, including 3 savory dishes, 1 vegetable dish, 1 soup dish, and in the Trade Union Meal, the amount of food in the meal is much larger with many fresh dishes such as shrimp, fish, beef, salad, boiled vegetables. According to the feeling of Mr. Hoang Anh Dung - who has worked at the Company for 6 years - and his colleagues at the meal tray, the dishes are not only fresh and delicious but also show concern for the direct workers of the Company and the Trade Union organization. Talking to reporters, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Anh Tuan - Deputy General Director of Tan Cang Hai Phong International Container Port Co., Ltd., Chairman of the grassroots Trade Union of the Company, said that the Trade Union Meal program not only brings a warm and nutritious meal, but is also an opportunity to share, understand, and bond with each other more. It is a vivid expression of the goal of practically caring for the lives of workers - in line with the motto: "Where there are workers, there are Trade Unions accompanying"...
Not only increasing nutritional content for meals, many units also have more ice cream or soft drinks for union members and workers at the Trade Union Meal.
It's not simply about increasing nutrition
In particular, at the 2025 Trade Union Meal, communication activities in the Trade Union organization were promoted, diverse, and exciting. The vast majority of grassroots trade union officials and union members, workers assessed that the Trade Union Meal is not only a simple shift meal, caring about material things but also has great spiritual significance, fostering solidarity, sharing and understanding between members in the organization.
The process of organizing the Trade Union Meal shows that there are many good and creative ways of doing things. Besides trade union funds, many localities and sectors have received support from businesses, units, employers, socialized sources, and sponsorships in organizing the Trade Union Meal. In which, the Vietnam Bank Union was supported with 8,471,285,691 VND, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation was supported with 5,639,213,361 VND, or the National Defense Trade Union was supported with 2,672,642,500 VND...
Most grassroots trade unions organize "Trade Union Meals" at the location to organize lunch for workers, some units without kitchens have organized at convenient locations for workers to participate, some units organize right on the labor site, camps (Quang Tri Labor Federation, Construction Trade Union, Electricity Trade Union, Rubber Trade Union...), some units organize combined resorts in tourist areas (Lang Son Labor Federation, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri...).
In addition to the main activity of organizing meals, Trade Union levels have integrated and organized many other meaningful activities for union members and workers such as giving gifts to union members and workers in difficult circumstances. One of them is at the Trade Union Meal of Factory Z133, the National Defense Trade Union Board presented gifts to 15 union members in difficult circumstances, each gift worth 500,000 VND. Also on this occasion, leaders and commanders of Factory Z133 presented 10 gifts, each gift worth 500,000 VND to 10 union members in difficult circumstances. These 25 gifts show concern, sharing, and timely encouragement for union members and workers to feel secure in their work and attached to the unit and the Trade Union organization. Along with giving gifts and support, many places also organize birthday gifts for trade union members who have birthdays in the month; admitting party members and union members, establishing grassroots trade unions; awarding Trade Union Warm Houses; cultural and sports exchanges, traditional activities, organizing quizzes, lucky draws, folk games... Places with media systems have broadcast tapes and discs, images introducing the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19), National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2) and the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Trade Union (July 28), propagating the history of the Vietnamese workers, civil servants and laborers movement.
Reality shows that the Trade Union Meal Program has met the needs of union members and workers by creating a cohesive and understanding atmosphere between workers and employers. This is one of the activities to make workers believe in the Trade Union organization, voluntarily apply to join the Trade Union, contributing to promoting union member development at units and enterprises. In addition, Trade Union Meal is also an important factor in promoting propaganda and mobilizing employers to raise awareness, continue to care for and improve the nutrition of lunch meals for workers, contributing to ensuring health, regenerating labor capacity, so that workers can feel secure in working, competing in labor and production.
