(Source: laodong.vn)

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is a socio-political organization of the working class and workers, established on a voluntary basis, representing workers and protecting their legitimate rights and interests. Many policies have been implemented to support trade union members nationwide, improve their lives, motivate them, and improve their productivity.

Results in specific figures

Vietnam has 11.3 million trade union members. During the 2018-2023 term, 72% of all businesses had grassroots unions, up 6.5% since the beginning of the term. A program called "Trade Union Shelter" has helped 14,000 workers build or repair houses at a cost of 21 million USD.

Trade unions visited and presented gifts worth 1.2 billion USD to 30 million members and workers in difficult circumstances during the previous Tet, Vietnam’s traditional lunar New Year.

For the first time, the Confederation of Labor gave support packages worth millions of USD to union members and other workers affected by  COVID-19, and to frontline forces fighting the pandemic. The Confederation has organized many conferences where union members and other workers could voice their wishes to the authorities, trade unions, and social organizations.

Trade unions at all levels have deployed 13 employment capital funds and loaned millions of USD to 3 million members and other workers. The CEP fund, a limited liability microfinance organization for poor workers in Ho Chi Minh City, has loaned 1.3 billion USD to 1.8 million workers.

Tran Doan Trung, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Confederation, said: "CEP has coordinated with trade unions at all levels to promote the deployment of personal credit products and services to union members. In one month, CEP disbursed more than 42 million USD. Since July, it has also given scholarships to children, provided housing to customers in difficult circumstances, and given stoves to renters."

A program launched by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to collect ideas for overcoming difficulties and combating the COVID-19 pandemic received more than 2.4 million suggestions, which collectively generated some 1.4 billion USD.

Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang (Photo: baophunuthudo.vn)

Reliable support for workers

After its achievements in the past 5 years, in the 2023-2028 tenure the Confederation intends to improve its performance and enhance coordination between all levels, agencies, and organizations to better ensure the rights of union members and other workers. It will also work to improve wages, bonuses, working hours, and occupational safety and hygiene. The Confederation will continue to establish trade union in industrial parks and export processing zones and help union members and other workers improve their lives.

Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang said: "In the next term, the Confederation will continue to reform its organization and operations, make the needs and interests of union members and other workers as its goals and the basis for work plans and programs. We will continue to represent, care for, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of union members, promote, attract, gather, and unite workers to build a strong modern Vietnamese working class, and promote national pride, intelligence, strength, and the creativity of union members and other workers to make the Confederation a reliable source of support for workers."

For 95 years the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has been a large socio-political organization supporting workers and a bridge linking the Communist Party of Vietnam with the working class.