Silently sacrifice for the collective
Ms. Le Thi Hong Minh - President of the Trade Union of Vinh Nguyen 2 Kindergarten (Nha Trang City) has been a kindergarten teacher for nearly 20 years. And 2/3 of that time she worked on Bich Dam, Tri Nguyen, and Vung Ngan islands to teach children at the schools. And for the same amount of time, teacher Minh has been involved with the Trade Union. Ms. Minh was trusted by her colleagues and school leaders and elected as President of the Trade Union for consecutive terms because "no one is more devoted to teachers than her".
As teachers, teachers will have hours, but union teachers do not have hours and are never out of work. Ms. Minh shared: "If you are not enthusiastic about working in a union and do not accept some disadvantages for others, it will be difficult to stick with it."
Having taught on the island, Ms. Minh understands better than anyone the "hardship" of teachers who go to the island to teach: no electricity, facing being away from home for a whole week, accepting more family emptiness and sometimes trading personal happy moments for the children. Therefore, every year before the first day of school, Ms. Minh and the school board meet with teachers to listen to each person's situation, giving priority to teachers who volunteer to go to the island to teach. Ms. Minh is always wondering how to get more attention for teachers in the school, improve the working facilities, and improve the lives of teachers and kindergarten workers.
For Mr. Duong Thanh Han - Chairman of the Trade Union of Ha Huy Tap High School (Nha Trang City), being a teacher and a union member is "serving a hundred families". Because with the expertise of teaching History, Mr. Han must complete the learning tasks for the students.
“Working in a union means 3 professional periods are reduced each week, but the work of a union with more than 2,400 students and nearly 90 staff, teachers, and workers is not enough. We have to teach well while harmonizing the working relationship and interests of teachers, schools, students, and parents. Without enough prestige and silent sacrifices for the common good, it would be difficult to stick with it for the past 6 years,” said Mr. Han.
Teachers - multi-functional union
Ms. Bui Thi Hau - Biology teacher at Hoang Van Thu High School has been the Head of the Women's Union of the School since 2017. The whole school has 125 employees, of which 77% are female, so women's union work is very important. At the beginning of each school year, Ms. Hau builds an activity plan, launches the emulation movement "Good at school work - Good at housework", promotes and encourages female employees to participate in studying to improve their professional qualifications, and cares about protecting and taking care of their health...
According to Ms. Hau, the union teachers themselves always uphold the spirit, attitude, responsibility, dedication to work, and serious working style. Always listen to the opinions of colleagues in the agency, proactively learn from colleagues. Actively participate in researching and writing 4 initiatives of experience recognized and effectively implemented in the unit and locality... With her dynamism, Ms. Hau not only becomes a pioneer in the emulation movements of the industry with the Union but is also an outstanding female cadre in 2024, recognized by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue - President of the Education Trade Union affirmed that, compared to other trade unions, teachers' trade unions have an additional soft task of participating in management and building harmonious and stable labor relations. The grassroots trade unions, represented by the executive committee, clearly demonstrate the role of the trade union organization in participating in management and contributing to the implementation of innovation and development tasks of the unit and school.
The Chairmen of the Trade Unions, who are ex officio members of the School Councils, have performed well the role of gathering opinions and encouraging employees at the unit to contribute to development policies and strategies, internal regulations and rules, creating a harmonious working environment in the education sector...
