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Addressing the 13th National Trade Union Congress in Hanoi on December 2, General Secretary Trong praised Trade Unions nationwide for their efforts to overcome difficulties and take care of workers’ interests over the years, especially during the pandemic period.
However, he noted that Trade Unions have yet to keep up with socio-economic changes both locally and globally, particularly those that have had a profound impact on employment, income, and working conditions of workers.
The Trade Unions organisation must therefore better perform its role as the representative of workers to protect their interests, by attentively listening to and transferring thoughts and aspirations related to working conditions, housing, health care, and social welfare, to employers, he said.
The Trade Unions organisation should seek to build harmonious and stable employment relations, whilst not allowing bad elements to incite labourers to work illegally, he added.
He went on to request that Trade Unions at all levels renew working methods to quickly adapt to new forms of employment, attract more workers, and better cater to their needs.
In his speech, Nguyen Dinh Khang, president of the VGCL, pointed to the fact that Trade Unions in some industries and localities have not worked hard enough to address worker concerns, including wage and social insurance debt, a lack of accommodation and medical services, as well as schools for their children.
According to the VGCL leader, the three-day congress seeks to promote dialogue and collective bargaining, with a specific focus on wages, bonuses, working hours, labour safety and hygiene; establish grassroots-level trade unions in private enterprises; and enhance the capacity building of grassroots-level trade union leaders to meet task requirements, especially in non-State enterprises.
The Trade Unions organisation will embark on the goals of improving workers’ social welfare, fundamentally addressing social insurance debt, and preventing usury among workers, said Khang.
The 13th National Trade Union Congress is underway in Hanoi from December 1 to December 3, attracting the participation of 1,100 outstanding delegates.
