Listening to employees’ voices

Phan Van Anh, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, presents gifts to workers facing difficult circumstances in Dong Nai.

The congress is not only an important political event for the TU organization but also an opportunity to review achievements and set directions for operations in the new period. The success of each congress is built on a foundation of democracy, solidarity, and, in particular, listening to voices from the grassroots.

Creating a democratic working environment

Throughout many terms, the TU organization has remained a reliable bridge between employees and employers. Through dialogue, collective bargaining, and monitoring the implementation of labor policies and laws, the TU has contributed to creating a democratic, stable, and developing working environment. The thoughts, aspirations, and recommendations of employees are listened to, acknowledged, and addressed in a timely manner, contributing to improving the material and spiritual well-being of TU members and employees.

The 14th Vietnam TU Congress serves as a democratic forum for TU members to exercise their right to mastery and contribute ideas to building an increasingly strong TU organization. It is also a platform for gathering the intellect, determination, and aspirations of employees, with the goal of building a contingent of workers, public employees, and employees with strong political resolve and high professional qualifications, meeting the requirements of the era of industrialization, modernization, and international integration.

Looking back on the 2023-2026 term, by listening to voices from the grassroots, the TU organization has implemented numerous care policies, creating motivation for TU members and employees to work with peace of mind. Specifically, nearly 23 million TU members and workers received support during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, with total resources amounting to nearly VND15 trillion. More than 2.2 million new TU members were admitted. Programs such as Tet Reunion, Workers’ Month, TU Shelters, and TU Meals have continued to expand and innovate.

In particular, changes in the operational mindset of TU organizations at all levels have strengthened the confidence of TU members and employees nationwide. Rather than focusing mainly on providing support when employees encounter difficulties, the TU is gradually shifting toward accompanying employees throughout their development process. The Vietnam TU not only protects employees when their rights are infringed upon but also creates conditions for them to develop their capabilities, improve their skills, and affirm their value within enterprises and in society.

Patriotic emulation movements launched by the TU have spread widely, fostering creativity, responsibility, and dedication among employees. During the past term, employees contributed to more than 383,000 initiatives, generating benefits valued at over VND40 trillion. Many useful initiatives and solutions have been applied in practice, generating significant economic benefits and contributing to the sustainable development of agencies, units, and enterprises.

Stabilizing labor relations

Dong Nai is one of the country’s leading localities in industrial development. The city currently has 89 planned industrial parks, attracting more than 1.5 million workers. Over the years, local authorities and the TU organization have consistently focused on promoting care policies and ensuring social welfare so that employees can feel secure in remaining in the locality and developing alongside enterprises.

Each year, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and TU organizations at all levels in Dong Nai regularly compile hundreds of opinions from workers, focusing on issues such as social housing, welfare, and wage policies, and submit them to Party and TU congresses. Grassroots TUs and enterprises proactively conduct dialogue and listen to the thoughts and aspirations of employees to identify timely solutions for improvement.

With the spirit of “Innovation - Democracy - Solidarity - Development,” the 14th Vietnam TU Congress will create new opportunities and momentum to continue accompanying employees, promoting the strength of solidarity, and joining efforts to build increasingly developed agencies, units, and enterprises.

Le Thi Hanh, a worker at Tokin Electronics (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. in Long Binh Industrial Park, said that she participates in the employees’ annual conferences jointly organized by the enterprise and the grassroots TU. This is a practical activity that enables employees to directly express their views and raise issues related to employment, income, benefits, policies, and the working environment. “I am satisfied because many opinions were listened to, discussed openly, and answered specifically by the enterprise and the TU. Legitimate proposals are considered and acknowledged in a timely manner,” said Hanh.

At Far Eastern New Apparel (Vietnam) Limited in Dong Phu ward, which employs nearly 3,500 workers, the grassroots TU has coordinated with the employer to organize periodic dialogues with employees. Through these dialogues, many matters related to wages, bonuses, working hours, and rest periods have been adjusted to better reflect actual conditions. Although the changes have not been substantial, they have helped build consensus, enabling employees to feel more secure in their jobs. Thanks to dialogue and active listening, labor relations at the company remain stable, and employees perform their duties with greater responsibility and productivity.

Practice has shown that when employees are heard, their rights are protected, and the working environment is improved, labor productivity, sense of responsibility, and commitment to enterprises are further strengthened. This is clear evidence of the role of the TU organization in representing, caring for, and protecting the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of workers.

According to Bui Thi Bich Thuy, Vice President of the Dong Nai City Federation of Labor, alongside the development of the locality, the city’s workforce of workers, public employees, and employees has increasingly affirmed its role as a core force in production and socio-economic development. In that context, the TU organization has continuously renewed its activities, focusing strongly on the grassroots level and placing TU members and employees at the center of all activities. Many grassroots models for material and spiritual care have made significant contributions to improving and enhancing employees’ quality of life.

As the 14th Vietnam TU Congress approaches, the trust and expectations of TU members and employees nationwide, and in Dong Nai in particular, continue to grow. How can the congress's decisions ensure that, five years from now, every TU member and employee can look back and feel that their life is better, their rights are more firmly protected, and the TU organization remains worthy of being their reliable support? Employees expect that, through solidarity, determination, and responsibility, the TU will continue to serve as a strong common home and an effective bridge between employees and the leadership of agencies, units, and enterprises.