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"The team of union officials must put the legitimate rights of workers first; we must also be very creative to have activities that bring legal rights into practice and the lives of union members and workers. If those benefits are better than negotiating with employers, it would be an ambition, hoping for great responsibility of our Trade Union staff in the current period" - Former Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Tran Thanh Hai once answered an interview with Lao Dong Newspaper
In fact, in recent times, the Vietnam Trade Union has made strong changes. From the way of operation to the thinking of serving union members and workers, trade unions at all levels have clearly demonstrated their role as a solid support, accompanying and protecting the legitimate rights of workers in the context of many fluctuations in the socio-economy.
Immediately after Resolution 02-NQ/TW was issued, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor quickly concretized it into action programs and implementation plans, and widely disseminated them to the entire system. The highlight of this process is the strong shift from " little government" to "serving workers", from "organizing events" to "resolving real problems", from "profession" to "specific actions".
A union official shared very seriously: "To see how the union is innovating, how it is really, just look at the way workers at grassroots unions are organized meals. Although that is not everything, it has a mobilizing effect, creating trust for workers in the organization".
There are many stories that prove this. At Sakurai Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Thanh Hoa), Mr. Nguyen Huu Quang - Chairman of the company's Trade Union - has become a "liveness symbol" of dedication and courage. More than 13,000 workers here not only know him as a leader, but also as a friend, a companion, a person who understands every hardship of workers' life.
Mr. Quang does not run the union in a dry administrative manner. Under his leadership, the Trade Union organization has truly become a cultural and social center of the enterprise. Collective labor agreements are negotiated with more favorable terms than the law. A series of welfare policies such as shift allowances, child support, foreign language allowances, accommodation, fuel... have all been proposed and effectively implemented by the union.
In 2024, the company's trade union visited and supported more than 1,400 workers in difficulty, with a support level of up to 3 million VND/person; at the same time, organized a series of exciting movements such as art competitions, tug of war, football, gift giving programs, free oil changes, support for loans against black credit... Simple but humane initiatives such as "The Lost Wardrobe", "Workers' Appreciation Festival" helped each worker feel that they are not left behind.
Notably, the initiative "Union Party" is in the form of organizing a gratitude party for workers on the occasion of Workers' Month 2025. The party was held at a luxurious event center, with nearly 13,000 workers attending. The parties are arranged every Sunday, starting from May 18, 2025 to the end of July 2025.
Sharing about the role of the union, Mr. Quang modestly said: "We do not do anything big, we simply listen, understand and act promptly, at the right time to make workers see that they are always cared for".
In Khanh Hoa, during Workers' Month 2025, the "Union Meal" program has become a typical activity in many provinces and cities - the place that most clearly demonstrates the spirit of "attaching, sharing, and showing gratitude to workers".
At the Sanest Khanh Hoa Beverage Joint Stock Company, nearly 900 workers were surprised when the familiar shift meal was now supplemented with sweet soup and bird's nest - a small but warm change. Mr. Nguyen Le - a tree employee - shared: "In 13 years of working, I have never seen a meal prepared so carefully and affectionately. The delicious food, having leaders and trade unions talk with workers makes us feel truly respected and cared for.
Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy - Vice Chairman of the grassroots trade union of Khanh Hoa Salanganes'Nest Company - said: "The meal is an opportunity to tighten the spirit of internal solidarity. Since then, productivity and efficiency are also significantly improved." The value of each rice here is from 30,000 to 50,000 VND, with direct support from the Trade Union. Most importantly, the Trade Union actively monitor the quality and nutritional composition of each meal - showing a clear change in the thinking for workers.
Or in Da Nang, the "Union Meal" organized by the Trade Union of the High-Tech Park and Industrial Parks has left a deep impression on hundreds of workers of Liwayway Food Industry Company Limited.
With a special dish including beef noodle soup, milk and dessert, the program not only satisfies the taste but also nurtures the spirit of solidarity. Ms. Pham Thi Huong - a worker who has been with the factory for more than 10 years - emotionally said: "Today we not only get to eat well, but also get to listen and share. Today's meal is very different - it has feelings".
294 meals is not simply a number. These are 294 opportunities for workers to feel an important part of the collective, to be respected and accompanied. It is that thoughtfulness that has contributed to creating a safer, more friendly and efficient working environment.
"Union Meal" is just part of the story of innovation. In Ho Chi Minh City, the City Labor Federation has synchronously deployed 10 key groups of tasks in the spirit of the Resolution, including many creative models such as "Self-managed workers' group in boarding houses", "Zero-dong market", "Rice Atm", or "Union supermarket bus" to deliver essential goods to workers during the pandemic season.
According to the leader of the District 7 Labor Federation, "innovative thinking" is not a general concept, but a way for unions at all levels to proactively "go to every alley, knock on every boarding house", listen and act for workers in a timely and practical way.
One of the urgent requirements of Resolution 02 is to improve the effectiveness of trade union activities in the non-state sector, especially foreign-invested enterprises (FDI) and individual business households.
The Bac Ninh Provincial Federation of Labor - which concentrates hundreds of thousands of workers in industrial parks - has developed a "starting from accommodation" strategy to approach and mobilize workers to join trade unions. Mr. Nguyen Van Manh, a worker at Jahwa Vina Co., Ltd. (Yen Phong Industrial Park), shared: At first, I thought the union was just a formal organization, but after seeing legal consulting activities, supporting workers in work-related accidents, and taking care of Tet for workers away from home, I decided to register to participate.
The Trade Union of Industrial Parks of Dong Nai province, which has established more than 200 mobile legal consulting groups, directly consulted and supported more than 5,000 workers to resolve contract disputes, unpaid wages, and work-related accidents.
In addition, the " mobility legal consulting" model of the Long An Provincial Federation of Labor is also very well supported by workers.Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa - a worker at Cau Tre Company Limited - said: "Previously, there were many things that were wrong at my company and I did not dare to speak up, now that we have been consulted by union officials, we know our rights."
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The specific goals set out in Resolution 02 are: By 2025, strive to have 13.5 million union members; most enterprises with 25 or more workers and laborers have trade unions; strive for 80% or more of enterprises and units with trade unions to sign collective labor agreements. By 2030, strive to have 16.5 million union members; where there is no labor representative organization, the majority of workers will gather and participate in some activities of the Vietnam Trade Union. Strive for 85% or more of enterprises and units with trade unions to sign collective labor agreements. By 2045, most of the workers at the grassroots level are members of the Vietnam Trade Union; 99% of enterprises and units with trade unions have signed Collective Labor Agreements.
The number of 13.5 million union members in 2025 is not simple. Especially in the first 6 months of 2025, trade unions at all levels will focus on implementing "double tasks": both performing key tasks, regularly following the annual work program, and implementing the Central's instructions on streamlining the apparatus. However, nearly 500,000 newly admitted union members and 2,369 newly established grassroots unions are very impressive figures.
At the 12th Conference of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (13-th term) held on June 2, 2025, the emphasized content was: "Developing union members is not only a quantity indicator but also a specific action to build a strong Trade Union organization, associated with participating in Party building and caring for the rights of workers".
Approaching businesses and promoting the establishment of trade unions in the context of streamlining the apparatus further shows the courage, sense of responsibility and pioneering role of trade union officials at all levels despite decreasing human resources and increasing workload. This is an important foundation for the Vietnam Trade Union to continue to successfully implement Resolution 02 of the Politburo on "Innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation".
In the new situation, it is necessary to continue promoting new innovations and new ways. For example, some grassroots trade unions in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong also take advantage of social networks, AI tools such as chatgting to communicate, write articles, create images quickly, save time but still effective. Or in Hai Phong, experience and solutions of Hai Phong City Labor Federation are: Trade union officials coordinate with social insurance agencies, local authorities, conducted reviews through many "channels" to grasp the number of workers paying social insurance, thereby determining the difference between the number of actual workers and the number of union members in the same unit. Thereby, mobilizing workers to join trade unions and establishing grassroots trade unions in stable businesses. As of mid -April 2025, Hai Phong has developed 11,000 members, an increase of 30% over the same period in 2024 and established 64 grassroots grassroots.
In the context of the entire political system to promote the reform of the apparatus, the Vietnam Trade Union organization is entering the key period of implementing Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW of the Politburo on "Innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation". One of the biggest challenges today is how to both streamline the organization and strongly develop the union members - especially in the non -state sector. This is not only an administrative goal, but a strategic and survival problem of trade unions in the period of modernization and fierce thought competition.
It is a reality that many localities show that the force of full-time cadres at the district and industry levels is being streamlined. At the same time, grassroots trade unions - especially in FDI and private enterprises - lack both human resources and experience, often managed by co-chairmen. The pressure to approach businesses, organize propaganda, mobilize the establishment of grassroots unions and retain union members has become increasingly severe.
The problem is: More is more but less is less, while the growth target for union members is getting higher and higher. This requires fundamental changes in the thinking of organizing and methods of operation of trade unions at all levels. It can be clearly seen: growth of union members is no longer the unique task of the higher-level union, but is the direct responsibility of each grassroots union cadre - those who are "close to the worker, closest to work".
In the new situation, the new task requires the bravery of the Trade Union organization and the trade union officials. Streamlining the apparatus does not mean streamlining responsibility. In contrast, in the current period, the trade union organization needs more bravery, professionalism and efficiency than ever. The grassroots trade union officials need to be relayed by training skills, support tools, and above all the creative and flexible action environment. In particular, it is necessary to change the thinking thinking, not waiting for workers to come to the Trade Union, but must take the initiative to come to workers - in both direct form and digital technology. At the same time, building a network of "trade union collaborators" in the enterprise, taking advantage of the internal force of workers to make a bridge to propagate, take care of and develop union members. In particular, conducting comprehensive transformation by applying union management software, automatic communication tools, digitizing the organization process ... to "do more work with fewer people".
With determination and efforts to overcome difficulties and challenges, the Trade Union organization aims to fulfill the goals issued by Resolution 02 of the Politburo exactly 4 years ago, continuing to affirm its irreplaceable role in the process of industrialization, modernization, and the country's rise.
