Nghe An: Finding solutions to the problem of improving the quality of grassroots trade union activities

Many shortcomings

As of June 2022, Nghe An province has 19 enterprises with over 1,000 employees, of which 8 are in the Southeast Economic Zone, 11 are located in other districts, towns and cities. Of the 132 enterprises in the Southeast Economic Zone, 75 have established trade unions. Of these 75 grassroots trade unions, 48 ​​are directly managed by the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union with 24,695 union members...

Investment projects in Nghe An will continue to increase in the coming time. Photo: CSCC

With the red carpet policy of Nghe An province to attract investment and the policy of limiting the attraction of investment projects using a large number of workers in key economic areas of the Government, in the future, the number of projects usingmany workers, especially foreign-invested projects looking for Nghe An will be very high. Currently, there are a number of projects with high recruitment needs in the area that are also urgently completing the construction process.

According to the report, in enterprises with over 1,000 employees in the area, the grassroots trade union organization after its establishment has been operating with many quite effective and appropriate activities, contributing to supporting the building of harmonious and stable labor relations. In 19 grassroots trade unions with 1,000 members or more, 100% of grassroots trade unions have established collective labor agreements. However, in addition, the reality shows that grassroots trade union activities are still passive, the time and form of organizing activities face many difficulties due to dependence on production activities and the opinions of employers, and the form is still formal, less attractive, limited finance, collective labor agreements are still formal and coping... These things have led to strikes occurring in some units. Specifically, from the beginning of 2022 to now, there have been 5 strikes and collective work stoppages.

Ms. Phan Thi Trang - Head of the Organizing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation shared about the necessity of developing the Project "Improving the quality of activities of grassroots trade unions of enterprises in the Southeast Economic Zone and grassroots trade unions with a large number of workers in Nghe An province". Photo: Diep Thanh

Recognizing the causes leading to this situation, Ms. Phan Thi Trang - Head of the Organizing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation said: “There are both objective and subjective causes. Specifically, among the objective causes, we cannot fail to mention the difficulties from the grassroots union officials. Most of them hold concurrent positions, have little time to participate in training, coaching, and research, leading to limitations in capacity. Not to mention, because of fear of being implicated and affecting their work, some will be afraid to clash with the employer when defendingworkers rightsIn addition, the current legal system does not have enough sanctions to facilitate the operation of grassroots unions. Salaries and allowances for non-professional union officials are still inadequate and not commensurate. The contingent of grassroots union officials often changes. Many business owners lack cooperation. The arrangement of full-time officials at the grassroots level still faces many obstacles from businesses and mechanisms...

Assessing the subjective causes, Ms. Trang said that the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union and the Labor Federations of districts, cities and towns have not really closely followed and accompanied the grassroots trade unions, the quality of grassroots trade union officials is still lacking and weak while the requirements and instructions of the higher-level trade unions are too many...

Many difficulties in solution

After many discussion sessions with many comments, the Project "Improving the quality of activities of grassroots trade unions of enterprises in the Southeast Economic Zone and grassroots trade unions with a large number of workers in Nghe An province" has pointed out a number of specific solutions.

Dialogue program between the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board, grassroots union officials and workers. Photo: Diep Thanh

Accordingly, regarding propaganda work, many opinions agree that trade unions at all levels need to grasp the thoughts and aspirations of union members and workers, spread programs to sign union welfare contracts, be flexible and innovative in propagating the Party's policies, the State's laws, resolutions, policies, and activities of trade unions at all levels, and provide legal knowledge to union members and workers. In particular, it is necessary to implement Resolution No. 02 NQ/TW, dated June 12, 2021 of the Politburo on "Innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Unions in the new situation", Plan No. 58-KH/TU of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee as well as the action program of the Provincial Labor Federation on trade union innovation. At the same time, the District, City, Town Labor Federations, and Industry Trade Unions need to develop programs and action plans suitable to the characteristics of the locality and industry to deploy to the grassroots.

Legal policy work is also a content that requires great efforts from the union staff to organize meetings.dialoguebetween workers, enterprises and leaders of People's Committees at all levels. The work of commendation, emulation, and care for union members also needs to be focused on, innovated, and made different...

Workers of Yen Thanh district present a petition during a collective work stoppage. Photo: CSCC

In the work of organizing cadres, the trade union organization also needs to arrange a team of grassroots trade union cadres with sufficient quantity, ensuring quality, enthusiasm, dedication, and courage to inspire and guide union members in their activities. At the same time, trade unions at all levels need to regularly organize training courses, education, and training for grassroots trade union cadres in non-state enterprises, develop and promulgate a complete system of operating regulations, a reasonable annual work program, develop a specific plan for developing union members, innovate in activities and summaries, etc.

In addition to the above solutions, many opinions are interested and concerned about the content of arranging and organizing a team of specialized union officials to work at enterprises with a large number of union members and workers. However, this is not an easy content to implement. Mr. Vuong An Nguyen - Chairman of the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union shared: "Currently, the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union has only arranged 1 specialized union official at the Trade Union of BSE Vietnam Electronics Co., Ltd. (Nam Cam Industrial Park) - a unit with 2,834 union members. However, due to the inadequacies of the regulations, issues related to salaries, bonuses, roles, responsibilities... of specialized union officials still have many things to discuss".

Mr. Kha Van Tam - Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation requested that the Project "Improving the quality of activities of grassroots trade unions of enterprises in the Southeast Economic Zone and grassroots trade unions with a large number of workers in Nghe An province" needs to be specific, complete with new solutions. Photo: Diep Thanh

It is known that, according to Decision No. 1617/QD-TLĐ dated December 31, 2014 of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, in the province there are 15 grassroots trade unions in the non-state enterprise sector that are qualified to arrange full-time trade union officials. In addition, solutions related to financial work, application of information technology, promoting the inspection and supervision role of trade union members, etc. were also mentioned by many trade union officials.

Frankly acknowledging the problems at the grassroots trade unions, Mr. Kha Van Tam - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation affirmed the importance of the project as well as the urgency of the solutions. The head of Nghe An Trade Union shared: “The problem can only be thoroughly solved when it is fully and specifically recognized in terms of causes, goals, stages, solutions, etc. That is also the reason why the key trade union cadres must really worry, invest time and effort to contribute ideas to the project. Only then, the problem of improvingquality of operationOnly grassroots unions can find solutions.