Union innovation from peer financial audit

The numbers speak for themselves.

Peer-to-peer inspection of grassroots unions is an important content of the union organization, especially financial inspection is the key content. Because if this content is done well, the grassroots union will have resources for operating costs, and also publicize and transparent information to gain the trust and consensus of union members.

Do Luong is a district with many types of grassroots trade unions. Photo: DVCC

In Do Luong district, there are 155 grassroots trade unions. Of which, the State administrative sector is 137 units, the enterprise sector is 18 units, including units with 3,000 - 4,000 union members and units with less than 10 union members. This diversity leads to different personnel structures in grassroots trade unions. Of the 155 grassroots trade unions, 53 units have an inspection committee, the remaining 102 units have only 1 executive committee member in charge of inspection work or only have a chairman without a union executive committee. However, in the past time, the work of union inspection at grassroots trade unions has been properly directed by the District Labor Federation, and grassroots trade unions have also focused on implementing it well. In particular, the work of peer-level financial inspection at grassroots trade unions has been increasingly smooth.

In addition to inspections of the implementation of the union charter, in the first 7 months of 2022, 136/155 (87.7%) grassroots unions have organized peer-level financial inspections. Compared to 83.4% in 2021, 65-81% in 2019 and 2020, this is a positive sign. Units that have not or cannot implement it are mainly those with less than 10 union members. Peer-level financial inspections by grassroots unions have contributed to rectifying the management and use of union finances, such as: A more complete accounting system, receipts and expenditures with full original documents, timely updates, most grassroots unions have developed internal financial expenditure regulations to ensure compliance with the provisions of Decision 1910 of the General Confederation of Labor (currently Decision 4290). In addition, 100% of grassroots unions have prepared annual budgets and final accounts for approval by the District Labor Federation, and the collection of union dues and union funds has been well implemented (except for Minh Anh Garment Joint Stock Company). Inspection teams of the Provincial Labor Federation in 2021 - 2022 all highly appreciated the management and use of union finances and peer inspections at grassroots unions.

The activities of Do Luong Trade Union are highly appreciated by the Provincial Labor Federation. Photo: DVCC

To achieve the above results, we cannot fail to mention the efforts, attempts and sense of responsibility of the executive committee, inspection committee of grassroots unions and the thorough direction and responsibility of the superior unions.

Innovation for development

Sharing the guiding viewpoint on the issue of peer financial inspection, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Thuy - President of the Do Luong District Labor Federation said: "Clearly identifying the peer inspection work of grassroots unions as an important content, the Standing Committee of the District Labor Federation has assigned comrades in the Executive Committee, the Standing Committee and specialized union officials of the District Labor Federation to regularly monitor and urge this content. Accordingly, in Do Luong, the Executive Committee and the inspection committee pay close attention to the time of organizationfinancial auditat the same level to suit each type depending on the characteristics of each block and each industry. Specifically, the grassroots trade unions of the school block are directed to be inspected in April - May, the block of agencies and enterprises are inspected in November - December".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Thuy - President of Do Luong District Labor Federation presents gifts to workers and laborers in difficult circumstances. Photo: DVCC

Explaining this, Mr. Le Van Lai - Vice Chairman of the Do Luong District Labor Federation, who was assigned to be in charge of this content, said: “The management of financial use for any agency or organization requires absolute accuracy, errors need to be handled and corrected promptly. Therefore, the grassroots trade union organizes peer-level financial inspections at the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year to help the executive committee and the finance department promptly correct any errors in the financial work of the old year, if any, ensuring tighter settlement data in the new year. When doing this well, the grassroots trade union will be more confident and ready to welcome the inspection team from the higher level”.

In addition, the union officials of the Do Luong District Labor Federation also consider the peer financial inspections an opportunity to effectively train grassroots union officials in inspection skills. “Usually, the common mentality at the grassroots level is to fear or not want inspection teams from higher levels to come and inspect, and at the same time, to hesitate to conduct inspections at their level. In many cases, the inspections are only perfunctory and formal. For the inspection work to be truly effective and have a positive effect, the above resistance must first be eliminated. This resistance is mainly due to professional reasons, so when participating with the grassroots level, we both inspect and focus on providing professional guidance to grassroots union officials, pointing out to the grassroots the shortcomings and how to overcome them, taking the time to provide additional guidance on the process and techniques of conducting a specific inspection. During the inspection process, participating grassroots union officials also have the opportunity to learn more about professional knowledge as well as experience in organizing inspections. Realizing this, union officials will see for themselves that peer inspections need to be carried out proactively and systematically. This will help the inspection work at the grassroots level to be better next year.” last year", Mr. Le Van Lai shared.

Peer-to-peer financial inspection at grassroots trade unions in Do Luong district. Photo: DVCC

In addition to practical training, the Do Luong District Labor Federation also organizes professional training courses on inspection work forunion officerThe training is conducted in the direction of "hands-on" every October. This is the time when many school units consolidate their staff to do union inspection work, and need training to approach the professional aspects of inspection work. The training method focuses on group discussion methods according to similar blocks such as: public service block, commune (town) agency block, and enterprise block. In the similar block, discuss in groups units with inspection committees and groups of units without inspection committees to agree on how to do it, in groups without inspection committees. There are also groups of less than 10 union members, without union executive committees. This division helps units easily find solutions to implement in a separate way for each type.

In addition, to ensure seriousness in directing and implementing tasks, the Do Luong District Labor Federation has seriously implemented the spirit of "setting an example" for the establishments to "follow". Specifically, it builds a clear annual inspection plan, a scientific, objective, and timely inspection schedule for establishments, and has a serious and proper evaluation of inspection results. After the inspection, the District Labor Federation will monitor and supervise, even re-inspecting if necessary. The above will avoid the situation of "beating the drum and abandoning the stick", making plans but not implementing them, and the situation of not overcoming the problems after the inspection.

Mr. Le Van Lai - Vice Chairman of Do Luong District Labor Federation shared his experience in implementing peer-level financial inspection. Photo: Diep Thanh

Mr. Le Van Lai added: "We thoroughly understandgrassroots unionStrictly implement the inspection process, especially the stage of publicizing the inspection results to the union members. Experience shows that the grassroots trade union that proactively reports the inspection results to the union members seriously, that unit does a very good job in inspection activities and the inspection work at that unit plays its role. At the same time, we also rely on the results and quality of the inspection work in general and the peer financial inspection of the grassroots trade union in particular to evaluate and classify the grassroots trade union and the full-time trade union officials at the District Labor Federation.