The 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress, term 2026 - 2031 takes place at a special historical time, when the whole country is full of enthusiasm to implement the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress and prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Trade Union. The Draft Report of the Executive Committee of the 13th Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) is not only a summary of a term of efforts to overcome difficulties, but also a strategic design for the Trade Union organization to fulfill its mission in the "era of national rise".
From the perspective of a grassroots trade union official (CĐCS) at Can Tho Vocational College - a unit directly training technical human resources for the Mekong Delta region (ĐBSCL), I realize that the Draft Report has shown a sharp, innovative vision, touching on key issues of national development.
Strategic vision and innovation highlights
The first highlight of the Draft is the spirit of frankness and adaptability. The Draft clearly identifies the volatile world context, the profound impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4.0) and artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs and income of workers. In particular, the Draft boldly set the goal of accompanying the Government to promote economic growth at a "double-digit" level. This is a major orientation, reflecting the highest political responsibility of the Trade Union organization for the prosperity of the nation.
The draft has also clarified the role of Trade Unions in inevitable trends: Digital transformation and Green Economy. Trade Unions are no longer just stopping at the role of "protecting and caring" in the traditional sense, but have shifted to the role of "creating and promoting" by mobilizing workers to study, improve their qualifications, and master new technologies so as not to be left behind in the automation process.
However, to better suit the development reality of 2026 – 2031, we believe that the Draft should further emphasize the specific coordination mechanism between Trade Unions and training institutions and businesses. In an era where knowledge and skills change daily, "worker intellectualization" must be a consistent strategy, not just a separate goal.
The role of the Trade Union in training high-quality human resources
The draft has set a target of 65% of workers participating in studying to improve their qualifications. To realize this, trade unions at all levels need to have model collective labor agreements, which clearly stipulate the responsibilities of business owners regarding the time and expenses for workers to go for retraining and advanced training (upskilling/reskilling) at vocational schools. In Can Tho, as high-tech industrial parks are taking shape, this need is extremely urgent.
Caring for teachers and public employees in vocational education institutions
Vocational education teachers are the core force creating "products" of human resources. However, pressure on financial autonomy and the requirement to innovate programs are placing no small burdens on their shoulders. The draft needs to have a separate action program on "Improving the welfare and position of vocational education teachers", ensuring they have access to the latest technologies in the world through exchange programs and internships at enterprises that the Trade Union acts as a bridge.
Accompanying digital transformation in vocational education
The draft sets a target of digitizing 100% of union member data. For vocational schools, we propose that the Trade Union support the construction of "Digital Trade Union Skills Libraries" and online learning platforms specifically for union members who are students. This helps them to soon form awareness of the Trade Union organization right from when they are still in school.
Linking vocational training with business needs and Can Tho's green economy
Can Tho City is aiming to become a logistics and digital economy center of the entire region. The Trade Union of Can Tho Vocational College proposed that the General Confederation of Labour should have a mechanism to support vocational schools in signing multilateral cooperation agreements between Trade Unions - Schools - Enterprises to train human resources to serve green economy, high-tech agriculture and specialized logistics industries. This is the way to achieve the goal of "developing new production forces" mentioned in the Draft.
Practical contact at Can Tho Vocational College
In recent years, Trade Union activities at Can Tho Vocational College have always received close direction and timely support from the Can Tho Labor Federation. Programs such as "Trade Union Homes", "Trade Union Member Welfare" have truly become a fulcrum for lecturers and workers to feel secure in their work.
With the position of a key vocational training school of the city, we are always proud of the high-skilled graduate team, meeting the strict standards of businesses in the region. However, in the new context, we are aware that the responsibility of the school's Trade Union organization is not only to take care of life, but also to be a driving force to promote innovation in each lesson, each practice hour.
The "Good Labor, Creative Labor" movements at schools have strongly shifted to researching digital teaching equipment and improving training processes to adapt to the 4.0 labor market.
The concern of a grassroots Trade Union official is how to make each teacher not only teach the profession, but also pass on the "fire" of love for the profession, industrial style and discipline to students - future workers. This is the root of building a "modern, strong working class".
Pham Binh Tien (Member of the Standing Committee of the Grassroots Trade Union of Can Tho Vocational College)
