Daily stories
When I was working in the North Central region office, I often witnessed readers coming to the office and wondering: "Is this Lao Dong Newspaper? Let me meet journalist Quang Dai". Some are farmers, some are teachers, some even workers carrying a pair of sparkling boots have just finished their shift from the construction site on the way home. They came to find ways to help and support.
I asked Dai: "Do you have your own brand in Nghe An?" Dai said: "I am nothing, just a reporter in charge of the area, the workers come to me, trust me, and ask for support to protect their rights, thanks to the reputation and influence of the Editorial Board and the entire Lao Dong Newspaper".
Dai told me a story that this reporter will always remember: A few years ago, I received a painful cry for help from a worker who suffered a leg injury while working and was abandoned by his business owner. Following the address of the person who sent the petition for help, I met Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet (55 years old) at a small house deep in Xuan Hien hamlet, Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province. Her family's circumstances are very difficult.
The work accident occurred when Ms. Tuyet put the wood in the grinder at the company and slipped and got caught in the wheels. She was taken to the emergency room immediately afterwards, but because her left leg was crushed, she had to have her third thigh amputated, becoming disabled.
When the accident occurred and during the process of her emergency care and treatment, the family only received support from the company in the amount of 10 million VND; some individuals in the company donated and visited 2 million VND. In addition, since her discharge from the hospital, many months have passed, and she has not received any support from the company.
"I was very miserable, had physical pain, and was exhausted economically, did not dare to buy medicine, did not dare to go to the hospital because I did not have money to spend, and did not have money to install fake legs" - Ms. Tuyet choked up in tears.
From that pain, I wrote many articles reflecting on the incident and calling for support from benefactors. The local government intervened, and the business was forced to negotiate an agreement to provide Ms. Tuyet with an additional support of about 100 million VND. In addition, benefactors also through the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund of Lao Dong share Ms. Tuyet's difficult circumstances, helping her to reduce her disadvantages".
I wish to stand on the side of tears - Dai said. Tran Quang Dai is one of nearly 200 employees of Lao Dong Newspaper who are currently ready and always have the mindset of protecting the legitimate rights of workers.
I remember the most recent story of a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper in the Northwest region. In mid-July 2025, a lunch tray of workers in the mountainous areas of Lao Cai shocked the public when a foreign object suspected to resemble a spade appeared. Without delay, Lao Dong Newspaper immediately took action, connecting the calls for help from workers and authorities. After only a few hours, the meals were replaced, the supply company was forced to explain, the kitchen was inspected, and the workers were safe.
That worker - Ms. N.T.L - shared in tears: "We don't know who to ask for help from, we just know how to send a message to Lao Dong Newspaper. And it was unexpected, after just a few hours, everything was resolved.
More than 1,000 workers the next day had a neat, safe meal with jelly and yogurt instead of dessert - a small change but warming the heart.
Or like a small story in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Ngo Thi Hong - a former worker at T.T Company in Thu Duc City - had been owed social insurance for nearly 2 years, even though every month she still saw her money being deducted regularly. She said that in a moment of despair, she wrote a petition for help to Lao Dong Newspaper. "We just hope to get our social insurance book back to apply for a job. But the company kept giving up, everyone was helpless.
From those short articles, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters began their journey to verify, knock on the doors of social insurance agencies, dialogue with businesses, put information on the newspaper and connect workers with authorities. After 5 months, more than 77 people were finalized and fully paid social insurance.
That is the story in countless stories that Lao Dong Newspaper reporters have made, from demanding rights, calling for support to build schools and classrooms for students in disadvantaged areas to business trips during storms and floods...
Throughout its journey of nearly a century, Lao Dong Newspaper has not been simply a newspaper. That is a companion, an extended arm of the union, a persistent voice for workers - people who are always at the forefront of all national construction work.
The mission has not changed for 96 years
Right from the first issue published in 1929, Lao Dong Newspaper's bamboo shoots clearly wrote: "Workers who want to be liberated must work for themselves". The newspaper was born with the goal of being the voice of the working class, a light to light up the streets in the dark night of injustice and oppression.
96 years later, amidst the digital age and a myriad of chaotic information, Lao Dong Newspaper still maintains an irreplaceable position - the number one newspaper in protecting workers.
From leading a series of reports on investigations into unpaid wages, food poisoning, and insurance fraud, to organizing programs such as Tet Sum Vay, the Enterprise Ranking for Workers, or training courses on journalism for workers - Lao Dong not only provide news, but also act.
I once heard a union official in Hung Yen say: "Among countless choices of reading newspapers every morning, millions of workers still go to laodong.vn, still waiting to read a small piece of news, a familiar story, because they know: "There are people who understand me, write for me". For each cadre and reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper, it is not only a source of pride but also a responsibility to continue the tradition and develop the newspaper in the future.
Through historical periods - from the resistance war, peace building, to innovation and integration - the newspaper has steadfastly maintained its "quality". In today's digital age, when many newspapers are oriented towards entertainment or market trends, Lao Dong Newspaper still maintains its "soul" as a profound, honest, profound, critical and closely linked to the working class.
The newspaper not only reported on Trade Union activities, but always accompanied workers in every step of life: From workers' meals, accommodation, wages, insurance, working conditions, to worries about holidays, children's summer vacation, risk of job loss, work accidents, harassment at the office...
Dr. Ngo Tri Long - an economic expert, a close collaborator of Lao Dong Newspaper said: "It can be said that many important policies of the State, especially in the fields of labor, insurance, wages, social security... all have contributions from the persistent and sharp reflections of Lao Dong Newspaper. When workers are owed social insurance by businesses, Lao Dong is the first press agency to publish a list, conduct a thorough investigation, and conduct in-depth analysis, creating public pressure for the authorities to intervene. When workers are forced to work overtime, without contracts, and their rights are oppressed, Lao Dong does not hesitate to "name" the violating enterprise. In recent years, when the personal income tax policy, family deduction, and regional minimum wage have become a current issue, Lao Dong is always one of the first newspapers to express a clear and responsible view, standing on the side of salaried workers - a force that plays a pillar role in the economy but is often not properly cared for".
National Assembly Delegate Bui Hoai Son emphasized: "Not only reflecting the problem, Lao Dong Newspaper also offers solutions, connecting the voices of experts, managers, and National Assembly delegates to turn the voices of workers into policy actions".
When invited to be a member of the Jury of the literary writing contest on the topic of workers and trade unions organized by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Lao Dong Newspaper was the coordinating unit, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Writers' Association Nguyen Binh Phuong happily accepted and said: "I love Lao Dong Newspaper. Lao Dong reporters are not only present at policy conferences and forums, but also travel to construction sites, boarding houses, factories, and remote areas to tell the story of workers from a humane and compassionate perspective.
Writer Y Ban commented: I see the silent footsteps of Lao Dong Newspapers staff on the journey for the rights and dignity of workers in most press works. These are also materials, suggesting that literature have more good and in-depth topics about literature at this time. Because it always goes close, goes deep, and stands firm with the working class - the core productive force of the country, Lao Dong Newspaper has become a unique and irreplaceable flag in the Vietnamese press community. Lao Dong Newspaper not only reported - but also fought. Not only reflecting - but also accompanying. Not only writing about workers - but living with them, with them and for them.
A small line under the pencil both affirms the newspaper's position and contains the weight of responsibility: Lao Dong Newspaper is always the number one newspaper to protect the rights of workers. The people who work at Lao Dong Newspaper today believe that that line of words not only affirms a brand, not only with printing ink but also with sweat, tears, trust and hope of millions of workers in this country.
