Strategic requirements for the Vietnam Trade Union organization in the new era

Trade unions are born to represent, care for, and protect workers.

Speaking to direct at the 14th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union for the 2026-2031 term on the morning of June 4, General Secretary and President To Lam clearly stated the requirement that the Trade Union organization must take union members and workers as the center of all Trade Union activities.

General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized: "Trade unions are born to represent, care for, and protect workers. Therefore, all programs, plans, and movements must answer the question: what do workers get, what rights are protected, what difficulties are removed, and what voices are listened to.

According to General Secretary and President To Lam, the effectiveness of the Trade Union is not only measured by the number of meetings, the number of documents, the number of movements, but must be measured by the trust of union members, the satisfaction of workers, the quality of collective labor agreements, the number of successfully protected cases, and the level of improvement in life at the grassroots level.

Where there are workers, there must be a Trade Union. Where the legitimate rights of workers are affected, where the Trade Union must have a voice. Where there is a risk of labor disputes arising, where the Trade Union must proactively dialogue, mediate, protect the right, protect the legitimate and lawful interests of workers.

The directing speech of General Secretary and President To Lam at the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress on "taking union members and workers as the center of all Trade Union activities" is not only a requirement for operating methods, but also an affirmation of the core values and historical mission of the Trade Union organization in the new development stage of the country.

In the context of the increasingly developing socialist-oriented market economy, the process of deep international integration, digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are creating strong changes in labor relations, workers have more development opportunities but also face many challenges. Pressures on employment, income, working conditions, social security, vocational skills and adaptability to the new production environment require the Trade Union organization to truly become a reliable support for workers.

Affirming the bravery and representative responsibility of the Trade Union organization

Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Tuc - Chairman of the Advisory Council on Culture and Society (Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front) - expressed his impression with the speech of General Secretary and President To Lam at the XIV Vietnam Trade Union Congress with many important messages.

The General Secretary and President affirmed that the Trade Union is born to represent, care for, and protect workers and made very specific requirements that all programs, plans, and movements must answer the question: what do workers get, what rights are protected, what difficulties are removed, what voices are listened to.

This shows a very clear innovative thinking, shifting from an approach leaning towards administrative management, organizing movements to an approach that takes efficiency in serving union members as a measure. That means that all activities of the Trade Union must not only stop at organizing many meetings, many programs or launching many movements, but must aim for specific and practical values that workers enjoy" - Mr. Nguyen Tuc said.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tuc, when the rights of workers are better protected, life is improved, voices are heard and difficulties are resolved promptly, then the prestige and attractiveness of the Trade Union organization will be truly affirmed.

The trust of union members, the satisfaction of workers, the quality of collective labor agreements, the number of successfully protected cases or the level of life improvement at the grassroots level are the "softest measures", with the most practical value. This is also a requirement in line with the trend of modern governance, taking the target audience as the center.

Along with that, the message "where there are workers, there must be a Trade Union" shows the determination to expand the presence and enhance the role of the Trade Union organization in all types of labor.

More importantly, the requirement "where the legitimate rights of workers are affected, the Trade Union must have a voice" is to affirm the bravery and representative responsibility of the Trade Union organization.

Trade unions are not only a bridge but also must be a pioneering force in dialogue, negotiation, mediation and dispute prevention. That proactiveness not only contributes to protecting the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of workers but also builds harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations, creating a foundation for the sustainable development of businesses and the country.

It can be seen that the directions of General Secretary and President To Lam at the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress are not only a direction for action for the new term but also a strategic requirement to build the Vietnam Trade Union organization to truly be a reliable support for workers, a solid bridge between the Party, State and the working class, and an important force contributing to building the country in the new era.

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