Vietnam Trade and Industry Union innovates after 19 years of development

From merging organizations to affirming representative roles

On November 1, 2007, the Vietnam Industry and Trade Union was officially established on the basis of merging the Vietnam Industry Trade Union and the Vietnam Trade and Tourism Trade Union, associated with the process of merging the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Trade into the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

With multi-sectoral and multi-field characteristics, differences in occupations and working conditions, the Vietnam Trade Union of Industry and Trade is gradually building a unified, flexible, grassroots-oriented operating method, taking the representation and protection of workers' rights as a key task.

The movement "Good Labor, Creative Labor" was widely implemented. In the period 2012-2017 alone, units in the industry had hundreds of thousands of initiatives and technical improvements, making a profit of over 20,000 billion VND, saving 750 billion VND of materials and raw materials; funding for initiative commendation was nearly 100 billion VND. These results contributed to helping the industry trade union receive many awards, including the First-class Labor Medal and the Government's Emulation Flag.

In the 2018-2023 term, the Vietnam Industry and Trade Union continues to innovate its activities, taking the interests of union members as the focus, focusing on improving the effectiveness of representing, protecting and caring for workers.

A prominent highlight is the companionship in the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2020 to the summary of November 2022, the total budget support for union members and workers from the trade union budget and support packages of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour reached over 81.5 billion VND. The Trade Union also supported 130 million VND for children of union members and workers with COVID-19 who had to be treated at hospitals; donated savings books worth a total of 120 million VND to 12 children whose fathers or mothers died due to the epidemic.

Tet care programs, Workers' Month, "Trade Union Homes", union member welfare, job and vocational training support continue to be maintained, demonstrating the role of accompanying and sharing with workers.

In the period 2021-2025, over 90% of enterprises with trade union organizations have signed collective labor agreements; over 70% of agreements have clauses that are more beneficial to workers than legal regulations. Nearly 400 agreements have been updated to the Convention Library of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour; trade union levels organized 1,106 inspections and supervisions of the implementation of labor laws.

In Workers' Month 2026 alone, the "Thank you to Workers" program was implemented in 180 units, bringing direct benefits to more than 116,000 union members and workers, with a budget of nearly 55 billion VND; of which, the Vietnam Trade Union directly supported nearly 1.8 billion VND. Nearly 50,000 people were examined and consulted on health; 84 "Trade Union Meals" programs attracted nearly 44,700 workers to participate.

Promoting grassroots strength, towards a new development cycle

Training and promotion of initiatives achieved many results. In the period 2021-2025, there were 466 conferences to disseminate and thoroughly grasp resolutions and documents; 287,185 turns of union members and workers were trained and fostered. The creative labor emulation movement recorded more than 480,000 initiatives, benefiting trillions of VND. In the "1 million initiatives" program launched by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, the Vietnam Trade and Industry Union ranked third nationwide.

In the same period, the industry trade union developed 12,827 new union members, established 35 grassroots trade unions; introduced 5,087 outstanding union members to the Party, of which 4,798 were admitted.

In the 2025 - 2030 term, the Vietnam Trade and Industry Union identified four breakthroughs: Improving the effectiveness of representation and protection of workers' rights; improving the quality of trade union officials; innovating activities associated with digital transformation; developing union members, establishing grassroots trade unions, especially in the non-state sector, associated with expanding international cooperation.

“The 19th anniversary of establishment (November 1, 2007 - November 1, 2017) is an opportunity to look back at the development journey, and at the same time open a cycle of innovation and integration. Towards the milestone of 20 years of establishment on November 1, 27, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and Trade continues to promote the spirit of solidarity, responsibility, creativity, affirming the role of reliable support for union members and workers, accompanying businesses and contributing to building a sustainable Industry and Trade sector” - Mr. Le An Hai - Member of the Standing Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and Trade shared.

See the original here