Identifying and criticizing the viewpoints that deny the innovation achievements of the Vietnam Trade Union

Firstly, regarding the policy of innovating the organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation, hostile and anti- sabotage forces said: "Union "innovation" is not... new" because this issue has been raised by our Party and the Vietnam Trade Union organization for nearly 40 years.

Innovation is a long-term, continuous process to adapt and adapt to the objective changes of internal and external factors; at the same time, to have time to overcome current limitations and shortcomings. Innovation of the Vietnam Trade Union is an inevitable, continuous requirement, not done once, or for a few years. What the forces consider "old", in essence, is a demonstration of the Party's consistency, steadfastness, determination and great efforts to further improve and develop the Vietnam Trade Union organization 1.

The renovation process of the Vietnam Trade Union is established by different goals, targets, solutions, and breakthroughs in each Congress term associated with the specific revolutionary context and tasks of each historical period of the country. For example, the 1st Vietnam Trade Union Congress (January-1950) took place in the context of the whole country's unanimous participation in the resistance war against French colonialism, the Congress's goal was identified as: Encouraging workers and civil servants nationwide, especially the military sector, to produce many weapons and equipment to serve the resistance war against French colonialism to victory.

In the resistance war against the US to save the country, when the common task and determination of the entire nation is to build socialism in the North and fight against the US empire and the wrong hands in the South, the goal of the 2nd and 3rd Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is: Encourage cadres, workers, and civil servants to compete in labor, production, and build socialist settlements in the North with the spirit of: "Each person works at equal level, for the South in the heart", contributing to the fight for national unity and " Encourage the strength of people and the strength of the support of the people for the battlefield, all to liberate the South and unify the country".

When the country reunited and implemented the country's renovation, construction and development, the goals of the congresses were also flexibly determined in accordance with the requirements of each socio -economic development task, which is: "Encourage the working class and workers to emulate production labor, economic development, to promote industrialization in the country" (Congress IV), "Large Economic and Economic Programs of the Party, the Economic Workers' Program of the Food and Economic Program. production of consumer goods and export goods ”(V Congress); "Employment and life, democracy and social justice" (Congress VI); Innovating the organization and operation of trade unions, contributing and building the defense of the Fatherland, taking care of and protecting the interests of workers and laborers ”(Seventh Congress) ... The next congresses so far (VIII, IX, X, XI, XII), the goal of continuing to renovate the organization, content and operational methods of Vietnam Trade Union in the new context that has always been affirmed (2).

In particular, in 2021, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW on "Innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation". It clearly stated: "In the coming time, the number of workers and laborers will increase rapidly, trade union activities will continue to expand and shift strongly to the non-state sector. The process of developing a market economy; the opportunities and challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and increasingly expanding international integration; Allowing the establishment of an organization for workers in enterprises will have a profound impact on employment, the quality of human resources, attracting and gathering workers... That context requires urgent and stronger and more substantial innovation for the organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union (3)

In the 2023-2028 period, the 13th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has identified the motto "Innovation - Democracy - Solidarity - Development", outlining the characteristics, nature and general goals that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is aiming for. Thus, the innovation is demonstrated right in determining the goal to be completely correct and scientific, starting from the practical work of the Vietnam Trade Union at each congress. Those goals both demonstrate flexibility and consistency: It is a harmonious combination of urgent and long-term tasks in each stage; between the interests of the nation and the interests of the working class and laborers4.

Second, regarding the achievements of innovation, hostile and anti-nedocratic forces believe that trade unions are still struggling to "Innovate", finding ways to remove the situation of stagnant operations, that they are only "afraid to increase members without fighting to increase wages for workers"... In fact, in the past nearly 40 years, the Vietnam Trade Union organization has had many important innovations, focusing on roles, functions and core tasks. Notably, the Vietnam Trade Union has innovated the method of admitting union members in a proactive, friendly direction towards union members, simple procedures, impressed by the attention and care of the Trade Union organization from the beginning. Innovating union activities to ensure attractiveness, flexibility, and suitability to the production and working conditions of union members, effectively using internet applications in union activities. Simplify procedures for workers to join trade unions, establish grassroots trade unions, and create the most favorable conditions for workers when they wish to join the Vietnam Trade Union. Along with that, the Trade Union Law (amended) has just been passed by the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly (November 27), from July 1, 2025, foreign workers working in Vietnam are allowed to join and participate in trade union activities at grassroots trade unions. This is one of the 10 new points of the Trade Union Law (amended).

Looking at collective labor agreements, in the past it was simply the signing of agreements without substantial negotiations between employees and employers. Currently, the negotiation process is really taking place between the two sides and not only at the enterprise level but in many localities and sectors, there are collective labor agreements for business groups. The number of newly signed collective labor agreements increased year by year and periodically, in which in the 2019-2022 period, the whole country had over 14,000 newly signed collective labor agreements at enterprises (an increase of 9.79 times compared to the 2013-2018 period), bringing the total number of collective labor agreements to 42,324 records.

In addition, a series of initiatives for the Vietnam Trade Union organization have been initiated towards practically protecting the rights of workers such as: The "Union member welfare" program has signed 2,840 cooperation agreements, including 20 agreements at the General Confederation level; about more than 6.5 million union members and workers have benefited with a total amount of nearly 1,400 billion VND. The Trade Union has participated in litigation to resolve labor disputes in court for 12,369 people, supported, including participating in defense litigation in Court for 7,705 workers; representing workers to file personal labor disputes against 4,664 people, helping workers receive back or receive compensation of more than 64 billion VND...

The contributions of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in increasing income and reasonably adjusting working hours of employees are undeniable. The proof is that the Vietnam Trade Union is increasingly affirming its role in the National Wage Council through the proposal to increase the minimum wage for workers. In the period of 2018 - 2023, it is proposed to increase the minimum wage by 25.34% (compared to 2017, 2018 increased by 6.45%, 2019 increased by 12.03%, 2020 increased by 18.25%, 2022 increased by 25.34%). In addition, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has advised to increase 01 day off on National Day 2-9 in the 2019 Labor Code.

Solving housing for workers is the responsibility of the State, the political system and the whole society, including the trade union organization. Regarding this issue, the Trade Union has developed a major program. From the proposal of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL), the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 655/QD-TTg dated May 12, 2017 approving the project "Investing in the construction of trade union institutions in industrial parks and export processing zones". Accordingly, through regular spending savings, along with the efforts of the Vietnam Trade Union, many trade union institutions have been built (such as: Ha Nam, Tien Giang, 2025 in Bac Ninh, Ben Tre, 2026 in Hung Yen, Bac Giang, Da Nang, Binh Phuoc, Long An, Binh Duong, ...), thereby gradually meeting the needs of housing and living for workers and laborers.

Activities to care for union members and workers are promoted by trade unions at all levels, especially during the Lunar New Year and the annual Workers' Month. In 2024 alone, over 10.5 million union members and workers will benefit from Tet care activities organized by the Union, with a total amount of more than 7 trillion VND (an increase of 28% in the number of people and 15% in funding compared to 2023).

Faced with the heavy damage to people and property caused by storm No. 3 in the northern provinces, trade unions at all levels have promptly accompanied, cared for, supported, and shared difficulties with union members, workers, and people affected. As of October 30, 2024, trade unions at all levels have directly visited and supported 274 union members and workers who were injured, died, had relatives who died, and 20,968 cases of collapsed, completely collapsed houses or houses with unroofed roofs, flooded houses and damaged property, livestock, crops, etc. with a total amount of nearly 78 billion VND.

Trade unions at all levels have mobilized, donated and transferred more than VND 1,128 billion to the accounts of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has issued a Decision to give "Union and Children Continue Stepping" savings books to children of union members and workers who died due to storm No. 3, demonstrating the long-term concern of the union organization for the children of union members and workers.

In the context of many businesses facing difficulties in production and business, leading to many workers being negatively affected in terms of employment and having a large decrease in wages and income, trade unions at all levels have implemented support policies of more than VND 141,190 billion to contribute to accompanying the Government and the business community to provide timely support, helping workers overcome difficulties.

In particular, the Housing Law (amended in 2013) stipulates that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is the managing agency of investment projects to build social housing using trade union financial resources for workers and laborers eligible for social housing rental policies. The "Union Shelter Housing" program has been actively implemented by trade unions at all levels with many effective methods, becoming a program of great humanitarian significance (in the period of 2013 - 2018 alone, more than 18,000 poor union member families had to build new houses or repair houses with a total amount of more than 382 billion VND).

These are just a few of the many achievements that the Vietnam Trade Union has achieved for workers and laborers. Thereby, it can be affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam are determined and the Vietnam Trade Union are making efforts to comprehensively innovate with the goal of better caring for and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of workers.

In addition to the achieved achievements, the Vietnam Trade Union organization also frankly acknowledged that the activities of trade unions and the workers' movement still have some limitations and shortcomings that the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out in his speech at the 13th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union "Regarding the organizational model, the content and methods of operation of trade unions with slow presence have been innovated, not yet caught up with the rapid transformation of economic - social life and labor relations.... (5).

Currently, the Vietnam Trade Union is making efforts to implement increasingly effective solutions to "Towards the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Trade Union, the Trade Union and the Vietnamese workers and laborers movement will certainly have new developments, make even greater and more impressive achievements, make worthy contributions to the renovation process, successfully carry out the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country, and contribute to the implementation of the historical mission of the working class to the country and the nation. Building Vietnam to become increasingly rich, democratic, fair and civilized (6), thereby being a strong demonstration and affirmation in the fight against and refuting the distorted and sabotage arguments of hostile forces.

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Reference documents

(1), (3) https://lyluanchinhtri.vn/nhan-dien-phe-phan-cac-quan-diem-sai-trai-thu-dich-ve-cong-doan-viet-nam.

(4) Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW, dated June 12, 2021 of the Politburo on innovating the organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation.

(5), (6) Speech of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 13th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor