Warmth from the Union
What a surprise! That was the feeling of Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh Ha, Vice President of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, after finishing the "Connecting Run" - the first free run organized by the City Labor Federation in coordination with the Management Board of the Da Nang High-Tech Park and Industrial Zones (KCNC&CKCN) and Lao Dong Newspaper on October 5. "Connecting Run" is one of the activities in the "Connecting Enterprises - 2024" event series organized by 3 units, and was also organized for the first time on the occasion of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs' Day, October 13.
Surprisingly, at the beginning, Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh Ha did not imagine that the race could attract so many workers to participate as well as bring so much joy and happiness to her workers. “The race closed with nearly 700 athletes. However, if registration was open, the number of athletes participating would have been nearly 2,000 because until the last minute, many workers still called me directly to beg to participate,” Ms. Ha said.
“I am so happy and excited!” Ms. Hai Anh from Thanh Khe District Trade Union - one of the athletes participating in the race could not hide her emotions from the moment she was warming up before the start. “The Trade Union has long had many sports activities for workers, but organizing a large-scale, free running race like this is the first time. Besides, running is a sport that many people love, today we compete, even if there is no prize, we will have photos to share on Facebook, so not only me but almost everyone is eager and excited to participate,” Ms. Hai Anh confided.
Ms. Thu - from the Lien Chieu District Union, a worker in the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, kept repeating her thanks to the Union for creating such a meaningful playground for workers. “In addition to material care during holidays or sudden difficulties, we workers also have the need and desire to receive spiritual care from the Union and leaders at all levels. And this race can be said to be an extremely meaningful, practical and warm spiritual gift from the Union. If the race on this route, on this scale, is maintained annually, there is nothing happier,” Ms. Thu wished.
"We feel happy and joyful when seeing the excited faces of the athletes participating in the race. This proves that the first "Connecting Steps - 2024" race is a meaningful, useful and practical activity for Da Nang workers and has brought unexpected success. We are and will promote this race to become an annual activity, promising to bring more joy to union members and workers in Da Nang in the future", Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh Ha promised.
Connecting with hearts and minds
The highlight of the “Connecting Businesses - 2024” event series is the “Connecting Businesses - 2024” forum held on the afternoon of October 9 with the participation of nearly 400 businesses and investors inside and outside Da Nang city.
This is also an event of true “firsts” when for the first time, in front of nearly 400 businesses and investors, the leaders of the Management Board of Danang High-Tech Park and Industrial Park presented their operating model. In particular, detailed information, policies and opportunities for businesses were announced for the first time about the Free Trade Zone being piloted in Danang according to Resolution 136 of the National Assembly, along with specific policy mechanisms for Danang to transform once again.
Along with that are commitments to continue promoting the focal role of the management agency in effectively implementing investment promotion activities, actively integrating into international cooperation; strengthening foreign affairs and trade activities with international and multinational corporations and organizations; promoting research cooperation and technology transfer. Commitment to support and create favorable conditions for investors to learn, research investment and expand operations in high-tech parks, concentrated information technology parks and industrial parks, especially the Da Nang Free Trade Zone.
There is a very interesting detail that although they have been working together for decades, this is the first time, at an official forum, Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh Ha, Vice President of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, told businesses and investors in quite detail about the operating model and role of the Trade Union - especially the role of the Trade Union accompanying businesses in ensuring harmony in labor relations. That, "the Trade Union always accompanies, not opposes, confronts businesses".
And for the first time, the leader of the Da Nang City Labor Federation confided in nearly 400 enterprises about the risks that in the future, there will be another organization representing workers, in addition to the Vietnam Trade Union, which is allowed to be established in enterprises. Ms. Ha said that, objectively, having more than one organization representing workers established in an enterprise is a good thing because there will be competition in taking care of workers.
However, in reality, in some countries, negative issues have arisen when business owners have to accept many different proposals from many different organizations with different welfare requirements. This leads to fragmented care resources as well as a decrease in investment in employee welfare. "This is something we do not want to happen in Da Nang, in Vietnam," said Ms. Ha.
On the side of the enterprises, although this is not the first time they have presented their opinions and suggestions in a straightforward manner to the leaders of the Management Board of Da Nang Industrial Park and High-Tech Park. However, as Mr. Nguyen Van Phu - Deputy Director of Daiwa Da Nang Co., Ltd. said, "the atmosphere at the forum today brought us a very strange feeling".
Mr. Phu said: “Today we have talked a lot about connection. However, I have a feeling that from now on, the connection between our business and the city government as well as the Trade Union will not be simply a verbal or written connection but a strong, emotional connection from the heart and mind. And I believe that this connection will certainly bring unexpected results.”
Mr. Vu Quang Hung - Head of Da Nang Hi-Tech Park Management - said that the series of events "Connecting Enterprises - 2024" held for the first time was a memorable and emotional experience."Discussions, experience sharing and cooperation activities have helped open up many new opportunities and promote the spirit of sustainable cooperation.
The emotions left after the event will be pride, excitement and expectations for new opportunities and potential cooperation projects in the future.The event "Connecting Enterprises - 2024" will certainly be an unforgettable mark in the development journey of the Da Nang business community", Mr. Hung said.
