Party leader tasks trade unions to raise operational efficiency

• 12th Vietnam trade union congress kicks off in Hanoi
• PM commends trade unions for contributions to national development

The Party leader made the request while addressing a session of the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-2023 tenure now underway in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people always give special attention and care to the working class, he said, highlighting their participation in different economic sectors and their pioneering role in the national industrialisation and modernisation. 

Therefore, developing a strong working class in the context of intensified industrialisation and modernisation is an important and urgent task of the Party, State, the entire political system, each citizen and the whole society, especially the trade unions, Party leader Trong said. 

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the event.

He asked trade unions at all levels to be attentive to improving political awareness and will of labourers, and educate them about patriotism which, he said, should be transformed into efforts to improve knowledge and skills in order to meet requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

The leader also urged trade unions to better perform their role of representing and protecting legitimate rights and interests of their members and employees, and pay more attention to policies on salary, social and health insurance, occupational safety and hygiene, and health of labourers. 

Besides, trade unions need to raise the quality of negotiations, signing and implementation of collective labour agreements, while intensifying welfare programmes for trade union members, focusing on employment, housing, kindergartens, electricity and water supply, and health care. 

They were also requested to coordinate with agencies, organisations and businesses to promptly address with concerns of workers. 

Party General Secretary Trong highlighted the role of trade unions in building the Party and administration, fighting corruption, wastefulness and other negative deeds, and preventing the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

He assigned all-level Party Committees, organisations, authorities, Vietnam Fatherland Front chapters and political and social organisations to focus on institutionalising and materialising the Party’s policies and guidelines towards the working class.