On the afternoon of June 3, under the chairmanship of Mr. Vu Anh Duc - Member of the Presidium, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and Ms. Do Hong Van - Member of the Presidium, Deputy Head of the Labor Relations Department of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, delegates at Workshop Center No. 4 discussed the topic "Innovating propaganda, mobilization and women's work in the current period".
Constantly innovating
Speaking at the discussion session, Mr. Vu Anh Duc said that our country is entering a new stage of development with many opportunities and chances, but also poses many challenges for the workers' movement and trade union activities. The strong development of science and technology, digital transformation and labor market fluctuations require trade union organizations to constantly innovate themselves.
To affirm the core and unique role of trade unions in representing and protecting workers, innovating propaganda, mobilization and women's work is not only a regular task but also a key and vital task. Propaganda and mobilization must be a sharp weapon to orient ideology and build firm trust for workers. Women's work must be a fundamental solution to protect and promote the role of more than half of the social labor force in the digital economy today" - Mr. Vu Anh Duc emphasized.
From that context, Mr. Vu Anh Duc requested Workshop Center No. 4 to solve 3 important issues: It is necessary to frankly identify bottlenecks, clearly analyze limitations, inadequacies, old and outdated propaganda models and gaps in caring for and protecting the rights of female workers at the grassroots level; find breakthrough solutions, focus intellect, propose feasible and innovative solutions to reach workers, apply information technology in propaganda and improve the quality of activities of the mass women's union; unify will, turn lessons learned from practice into a specific and synchronous action program to be applied immediately after the 14th Congress ends.
Proposal to pilot "Gender Equality Business Label
Presenting a presentation at Workshop Center No. 4, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh - Vice President of Da Nang City Labor Federation said that in the 2026 - 2031 term, female workers, civil servants, and laborers face major challenges from increasing work pressure in the context of increasingly fierce labor market competition; urgent requirements for digital skills and adaptability to the fourth industrial revolution; "multi-role" pressure when simultaneously having to shoulder the responsibility of production, nurturing and caring for families...
Therefore, this is a context that requires women's work to be strongly, comprehensively, and more substantively innovated, and cannot continue to stop at the old way of doing things. These factors not only affect labor efficiency but also directly affect the comprehensive development of women.
To improve the quality and effectiveness of the female workers, civil servants, and laborers movement and female trade union work activities at all levels in the coming time, according to Ms. Anh, propaganda and mobilization work must shift from "doing enough activities" to "doing it to solve the real needs" of female union members.
Each year, grassroots trade unions must organize at least 2 practical thematic counseling/activities, associated with the actual needs of female union members at the unit. Maximum exploit digital platforms to inform, propagate, collect opinions, and survey the needs of female union members. Convert one-way propaganda conferences to dialogue, seminars, and online Q&A with real interaction.
Ensuring that by the end of the term, at least 80% of female union members have access to at least 1 form of digital propaganda/year; 90% of female union members understand the basic rights of female workers in accordance with current legal regulations" - Vice Chairman of Da Nang City Labor Federation said.
To direct trade union activities strongly to the grassroots level, closely following practical needs, according to Ms. Anh, it is necessary to apply digital technology to women's management in a systematic and methodical manner, build and put into operation a database of female union members integrating basic information. On that database, classify subjects to have appropriate support programs, not doing it widely and uniformly.
Protecting women's labor rights must go from the root, from institutions, policies and collective labor agreements, and cannot just stop at supporting each specific case.
It is necessary to strive to ensure that by the end of the term, 100% of grassroots trade unions in enterprises have signed collective labor agreements, which must have separate clauses on: Extended maternity regime (in addition to the minimum regulations of the law), breastfeeding hours, flexible work shift arrangement for women with young children under 36 months old, childcare support, periodic gynecological health check-ups" - Vice Chairman of Da Nang City Labor Federation proposed.
Ms. Anh emphasized that gender equality cannot only be mentioned in the resolution but must be implemented through specific, measurable, and responsible actions. Therefore, Ms. Anh proposed piloting the "Gender Equality Enterprise Label", honoring awards for businesses that need to commit and well implement gender equality (equal salary payment, a proportion of women in management positions from 30% or more, and policies friendly to pregnant women and those raising young children). Including gender equality criteria in considering emulation titles of enterprises and grassroots trade unions...
Innovating and promoting the effectiveness of trade union cultural institutions
Presenting a presentation at Workshop Center No. 4, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy - Vice President of the Hanoi Labor Federation said that trade union cultural institutions not only contribute to improving spiritual life, building a civilized working environment but also create a connection between workers and businesses and trade union organizations; thereby strengthening trust, arousing the spirit of dedication and building a modern working class in the new era.
However, before the requirements of the national industrialization, modernization and digital transformation process, the construction and effective promotion of trade union cultural institutions still face many difficulties and inadequacies. Some institutions are still not synchronized; facilities are degraded; the content of activities in some places is not really attractive; investment resources are still limited; while the needs for enjoying culture, entertainment, learning, and mental health care of workers are increasingly high and diverse.
In particular, the specific nature of shift work makes it difficult to gather workers to participate in regular activities.
From that reality, Ms. Thuy believes that it is necessary to pay attention to upgrading existing worker cultural activity points in a multi-functional direction, integrating community activity spaces, libraries, sports playgrounds, legal advice, mental health care and digital technology application. Strive for each large industrial park to have a cultural space dedicated to workers, truly becoming a "spiritual support" for union members after working hours.
Along with that, promote mobile programs to bring culture to workers such as "weekend playgrounds", "worker cultural nights", "legal cafes"... to create a close, attractive, and accessible living environment. Encourage businesses to allocate land funds, arrange cultural living spaces for workers; promote socialization of cultural and sports activities, take care of the spiritual life of workers...
