Sir, first of all, can you tell us about the scale of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union organization and the difficulties and challenges for the workers' movement and trade union activities in Ho Chi Minh City today?
- Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation is managing 23,070 grassroots trade unions with nearly 2.4 million union members, accounting for about 1/4 of the number of grassroots trade unions and union members nationwide. This very large scale is both an advantage and puts significant pressure on the management, care, representation and protection of workers, especially when the majority of trade union officials in wards and communes have little experience in trade union activities.
Current practice shows that the situation of workers and laborers still has many issues that need to be addressed, labor relations in some places still contain potential risks of disputes, the lives of a part of workers are still difficult, the needs for housing, jobs, social security, and cultural institutions serving workers are increasing. In addition, the labor force is changing very rapidly under the impact of digital transformation, artificial intelligence and new job models. This poses major challenges for the Trade Union organization and requires each official and Trade Union organization to change their approach and operating methods, otherwise it will be difficult to meet practical requirements.
One of the issues of concern today is digital transformation and the application of artificial intelligence in management, care for union members and trade union activities. How has the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union implemented this content, sir?
- The Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union clearly defines that digital transformation is no longer a trend but has become a mandatory requirement for the Trade Union organization in the new period. With a very large number of union members like Ho Chi Minh City, if it is still managed according to traditional methods, it will be difficult to meet the requirements quickly, accurately and promptly.
Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union organization has implemented digital transformation with many trade union activities. For example, the Phu Thuan Ward Trade Union has launched a digital map of grassroots trade union management in the ward. This model helps the ward trade union grasp the situation quickly, just opening the map and seeing the entire grassroots trade union system in the area. The Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation has also built and deployed an application to manage the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union. With this application, the interaction between trade union levels with each other, between trade unions and union members, employees is faster and more timely, data is always updated, errors are limited, and trade union activities are scientific, transparent and more effective.
Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union levels are continuing to promote the construction of union member databases, digitize grassroots trade union management activities, apply online platforms in propaganda, grasp workers' thoughts and support union members. In the coming time, we will also strengthen the application of artificial intelligence in some fields such as supporting labor law advice, answering policies for union members, analyzing data to forecast labor relations, and supporting trade union officials to handle work faster and more effectively.
We also pay special attention to training digital skills for trade union officials, because in the era of artificial intelligence developing very rapidly, if trade union officials do not innovate, they will lag behind. However, digital transformation is not just a technology story, but more importantly, changing the thinking and operating methods of trade union officials. Science and technology must help Trade Unions become closer, understand and serve union members and workers better.
In a recent meeting with workers in Ho Chi Minh City, General Secretary and President To Lam gave comments and assessments on the situation of workers and the activities of the Vietnam Trade Union organization in the past time. At the same time, orienting the activities of the Trade Union organization in the coming time. What will the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union organization do to quickly implement these directions?
- It can be immediately affirmed that the comments and assessments of General Secretary and President To Lam on the situation of workers and activities of the Vietnam Trade Union organization in the past time are very profound, practical and correct. General Secretary and President To Lam pointed out the shortcomings in trade union activities and suggested directions for trade union activities in the coming time.
To implement the directions of General Secretary and President To Lam, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union organization has accelerated the coordination with businesses to build social housing for workers to rent and lease-purchase so that workers not only have jobs but also have stable accommodation. Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation has signed agreements with 4 businesses to build 100,000 social housing units for workers to rent and lease-purchase. We have also renovated and built cultural institutions so that workers after working hours have a place to live and improve their spiritual lives. We also organize many general health check-ups, occupational diseases, and reproductive health programs for female workers, helping workers detect early disease problems if any to treat them promptly.
In particular, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union organization will focus on drastically representing and negotiating with employers to bring benefits higher than the law for employees.
What are your expectations from the 14th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union for trade union activities in the coming period?
- I hope that the 14th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union will create stronger momentum for innovation for the entire trade union system, especially in clearly defining the role of representing and protecting the rights of workers in the new situation.
I believe that what workers want most now is for the Trade Union organization to operate substantively, closely and protect the rights of workers. Therefore, the trade union needs to focus more strongly on dialogue, collective bargaining, improving the quality of collective labor agreements, taking care of life, protecting jobs and supporting workers to adapt to digital transformation.
At the same time, the congress needs to have major orientations to build a team of trade union officials who are more professional, more brave, have technological skills and adapt to the modern working environment.
I also expect the congress to clarify the model, role, functions and activities of commune, ward, and special zone trade unions because this is a very important trade union level of the Vietnam Trade Union organization, helping the Trade Union to be closer to and understand union members and workers better and promptly support workers better.
For the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union, we determine to continue to innovate in the direction of putting workers at the center of all activities. Each trade union activity must bring specific benefits to union members and workers, from protecting rights, legal support, improving welfare to caring for spiritual life, so that no one is left behind in the new era of the nation.
Thank you, sir!
