Ensuring a safe working environment for workers
On the morning of April 24, in Quang Ninh, the Central Steering Committee for Action Month on Occupational Safety and Health coordinated with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province to organize the Launching Ceremony of Workers' Month and Action Month on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in 2026.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Le Minh Tri - Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission said that during his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh always paid special attention to the working class and laborers. He affirmed "To build socialism, there must be socialist people" - in which workers are the core force. That ideology has been inherited and consistently developed by generations of Party and State leaders throughout the country's renovation process, with the consistent view of "Taking people as the center, as the subject, as the goal, motivation and important resource for development".
The 14th National Party Congress continued to affirm "Building and developing the country quickly and sustainably, based on science and technology, innovation; taking people as the center, taking labor productivity, quality and efficiency as the main measures". At the same time, the Party and State have promulgated and led, directed, and implemented many mechanisms and policies to develop the labor force, ensuring a safe working environment for workers.
According to Mr. Le Minh Tri, the world is changing very rapidly, complexly, and unpredictably; strategic competition between major countries is increasingly fierce and prolonged; energy security, economic growth, and global trade contain many risks and challenges. The fourth industrial revolution continues to develop strongly, deeply impacting all areas of social life. The breakthrough development of high technology and artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed production methods and growth models; non-traditional job types, digital platform jobs, are both opportunities and challenges, requiring higher standards for Vietnam's labor force.
Meanwhile, the quality of human resources, especially high-quality human resources, has not met development needs; the risk of shortage, especially leading experts, artificial intelligence, semiconductors...; labor productivity is still lower than many countries in the region, and is slow to improve. A part of workers, especially informal workers, do not have sustainable jobs; the demand for housing and basic facilities for workers and laborers is still very large but has not been met. Working conditions in many facilities are still limited; the situation of cramped factories, outdated machinery, equipment, and technology, labor safety and hygiene are not guaranteed, posing many risks of labor accidents and occupational diseases for workers.
The process of labor structure shift is rapid, with a fairly large part of labor shifting from the agricultural sector to the industrial and service sectors, but there are still limitations in professional skills, discipline and industrial style, posing many risks to occupational safety and hygiene. The compliance with regulations on occupational safety and hygiene at many establishments is not strict; the reduction of occupational accidents has not been improved, and serious occupational accidents still occur, killing and injuring many people, especially in the fields of construction, electricity, mining, minerals... (an average of over 7,000 occupational accidents occur each year, killing and injuring more than 600 people)... In addition, climate change continues to become increasingly serious, increasing dangerous and harmful factors to the working environment.
Further improve the effectiveness of dialogue and collective negotiation
2026 marks the starting point of a new stage of national development, the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress. In that spirit, Mr. Le Minh Tri requested Party committees, authorities, departments, ministries, branches from central to local levels, trade union organizations, businesses and all workers to promote the immortal spirit of International Labor Day May 1st, promote responsibility and do better in management, representation, care for life, protection of the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of workers; at the same time, pay attention to and focus on implementing a number of the following tasks:
First, to arouse and strongly nurture the tradition of patriotism, solidarity, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and national pride among workers and laborers across the country. Continue to build and synchronously improve institutions and socio-economic development policies; synchronously implement solutions to promote economic development, focus on removing bottlenecks and obstacles, and unlock all resources; urgently review to cut and simplify administrative procedures, create favorable conditions for production and business activities to develop, encourage start-ups, innovation, structural transformation and improve the quality of human resources, creating more jobs and livelihoods for workers and people.
Continue to improve institutions and policies on labor, employment, wages, safety, occupational hygiene, creating a legal corridor for the development and use of human resources, attracting and valuing talents, experts, and workers with high professional qualifications. Prioritize the development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as new driving forces to improve national labor productivity, associated with innovation in growth models. Ensure sustainable employment, improve living standards, and improve working conditions for workers. Focus on effectively implementing and expanding the system of welfare and social security policies, paying attention to social insurance, housing, schools, kindergartens, preschools, health, education and other cultural institutions, contributing to constantly improving the spiritual and cultural life of workers and laborers.
Second, raise awareness and responsibility about occupational safety and hygiene, create motivation and spread safety culture throughout society. Proactively improve working conditions, control risks, prevent occupational accidents and diseases. Promote businesses to invest in technology, safety management associated with digital transformation. Ensure the full and timely implementation of regimes and policies on occupational accidents and diseases. Caring for and providing practical support to workers and their families, contributing to maintaining social stability and sustainable development of the country.
Third, research and promulgate a strategy to build the working class associated with the socio-economic development strategy; concretize the direction of building a modern and strong Vietnamese working class, associated with the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Focus on improving cultural, educational, professional, vocational skills, industrial style and labor discipline so that the Vietnamese working class is increasingly adapted, developed, masters knowledge, science, technology, and international integration; constantly promote initiatives and innovation in the new development era.
Strengthen the role of trade union organizations in caring for the lives and protecting the legitimate rights of workers and laborers. Further improve the effectiveness of dialogue and collective bargaining, especially issues of wages, ensuring safety and occupational hygiene, improving working conditions, working hours, rest hours, and health care. Safe workers and laborers are the measure of the effectiveness of trade union organizations' activities.
Fourth, state management agencies from central to local levels continue to innovate management, improve the effectiveness of occupational safety and health work, and at the same time coordinate with trade unions at all levels to strengthen guidance on inspection and examination of compliance with labor safety and health laws, pay attention to assessing the labor environment, especially in places with heavy, hazardous, and dangerous working conditions, and promptly take measures to prevent and improve working conditions, ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of workers and laborers.
With high determination, great effort and joint action, I propose that in the coming time, the Government, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front direct the Ministry of Home Affairs, trade union organizations and provinces and cities, and businesses to actively care for the lives and jobs, protect the legitimate rights of workers, civil servants, and laborers. Workers and laborers continue to strive, promote good traditions, the spirit of innovation, improve labor productivity in production, make strong contributions to the goal of double-digit growth, socio-economic development and rapid and sustainable national development in the coming time," Mr. Le Minh Tri expressed.
