At the first working session of the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress, reporting on the amendment and supplementation of the 13th Vietnam Trade Union Charter, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hung - Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor said that the Vietnam Trade Union Charter when passed by the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress is an important basis to continue building and developing a strong trade union organization in terms of ideology, politics and organization, creating a major turning point, ready to adapt to new tasks in the new era, meeting the legitimate requirements and aspirations of a large number of trade union officials and union members nationwide.
The Vietnam Trade Union is the sole representative of workers at the national level in labor relations and international trade union relations.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hung said that the Charter of the 13th Vietnam Trade Union was approved by the 13th Vietnam Trade Union Congress on December 3, 2023 in Hanoi Capital, consisting of 11 chapters and 45 articles. The provisions of the Charter have basically been consistent with the time of implementing the Resolution of the 13th Vietnam Trade Union Congress, contributing to the implementation of important results in the period 2023 - 2026 by trade union levels. To be consistent with the organizational model according to the Party's guidelines and state law, the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union continues to be amended and supplemented to meet the requirements and tasks set out in the new situation.
From November 2025 to April 2026, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (Vietnam General Confederation of Labor) will focus on directing the collection of opinions through congresses, conferences, seminars at trade union levels, leaders of the General Confederation through periods, expert opinions, publicly and widely posted for trade union officials and union members nationwide to comment on the Draft Charter of the 14th Trade Union.
The draft Charter of the 14th Trade Union has received more than 1.5 million comments; the Sub-committee on the Charter of the Trade Union has promptly researched and absorbed; the Standing Committee of the Presidium, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour has given opinions at many meetings, and the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour has discussed and approved it at 3 consecutive meetings. The draft Charter of the 14th Trade Union has been commented on by the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Fatherland Front, central organizations, and Party building committees at the Central level before being completed and submitted at the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress," said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hung.
Regarding specific amendments and supplements related to structure and layout, the Draft Charter of the 14th Trade Union includes 9 Chapters and 31 Articles (a reduction of 2 Chapters and 14 Articles compared to the 13th Charter).
Regarding content, the Draft Charter of the 14th Vietnam Trade Union amends a number of important contents. Accordingly, the name of the leadership agency is amended from "Vietnam General Confederation of Labour Presidium" to "Vietnam General Confederation of Labour Standing Committee" to be consistent with Party regulations; The preamble is amended and supplemented to be consistent with new regulations, in the second paragraph, the phrase "is the sole representative of workers at the national level in labor relations and international relations on trade unions" is added; in the third paragraph, the phrase "directly under the Vietnam Fatherland Front" is added to affirm the position of the Vietnam Trade Union as a member organization.
The draft also amends and supplements basic issues about trade union members. Amending the subjects of gathering into the Vietnam Trade Union to be consistent with the Party's guidelines and the State's laws; supplementing at point h, clause 1, Article 2 the right of union members to the phrase: "... to use electronic applications of the Vietnam Trade Union, access trade union digital data according to regulations" to be consistent with the digital transformation of the Trade Union in the new situation; supplementing at point k, clause 1, Article 2 the right of union members to the phrase: "... union members in particularly difficult circumstances, to be considered for exemption or reduction of trade union dues according to regulations" to highlight the function of the Trade Union organization in caring for the interests of union members...".
Improving the principles of organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union
The principles of organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union organization (Article 5) continue to be amended and supplemented to be consistent with the Constitution, laws and regulations of the Party, but still maintain the principle of democratic centralism in the organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union organization.
Some specific amended and supplemented contents are as follows: Supplementing the phrase "Vietnam Trade Union established on a voluntary basis" and the phrase "cooperation and coordination with employers, while ensuring the independence of the Trade Union organization" in Clause 1, Article 5; supplementing the regulation "Vietnam Trade Union together with other member organizations of the Fatherland Front for democratic consultation, coordination and unified action chaired by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, while promoting the proactiveness and creativity of the Trade Union organization, implemented in accordance with the Constitution, laws, the Charter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union", in Clause 4, Article 5.
Regarding the trade union organization system (Article 7): Ending the model of District-level Labor Federations, local industry trade unions and equivalents to suit local authorities at 2 levels according to the Party's policy. Building the Vietnam Trade Union organization system for the 2026-2031 term according to the model: Central level; provincial level and equivalents; commune level and equivalents, grassroots trade unions, grassroots trade unions.
Major changes in Chapter IV - regulations on trade union levels in the Vietnam Trade Union system: Amending and supplementing the subjects of gathering and management of the Provincial and City Labor Federations; central industry trade unions (Articles 13, 14) to be consistent with the Party's guidelines and the State's laws.
Specifying the 2024 Trade Union Law; Law No. 97/2025/QH15, Party regulations, adding 2 new articles: (1) Article 17, regulations on Trade Unions of economic groups, corporations directly under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; (2) Article 18, regulations on Trade Unions of communes, wards, special zones, inter-communal and ward trade unions; trade unions of industrial parks; trade unions of central non-business units; national university, regional university, other universities; Vietnam Fisheries Union; trade unions of economic groups, corporations directly under grassroots-level trade unions to comply with Party regulations.
