Nghe An firmly adheres to the motto 'Where there are workers, there is a Trade Union'

The bright spots

In operation since June 2020, Luxshare ICT Nghe An Co., Ltd. (belonging to VSIP Nghe An Industrial Park) currently has a relatively stable workforce of more than 6,000 people, being the enterprise with the most union members in the Southeast Economic Zone.

Mr. Le Khanh Minh - Chairman of Luxshare ICT Nghe An Co., Ltd. Trade Union said: “Determining the goal of sustainable development on the basis of respecting the rights of workers, as soon as it started operating, the Company decided to establish a grassroots Trade Union. The Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union promptly supported and helped the Executive Board of the grassroots Trade Union to build programs and activities to protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers. The Company's Trade Union collects, spends, and deducts funds and union fees in accordance with regulations; actively participates in activities launched by Trade Unions at all levels. Workers are assured and committed to the enterprise, which will create a solid foundation for growth...”.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Huong - ChairwomanSoutheast Economic Zone Trade Unionsaid: “From 2018 to now, the total number of workers in economic zones and industrial parks in the province has increased rapidly, from 16,353 workers to nearly 30,000 people, requiring the participation of the Trade Union organization to promptly resolve conflicts and interests between businesses and workers, and take care of the lives of workers.

By May 2023, 87 grassroots trade unions had been established in the Southeast Economic Zone and industrial parks of Nghe An province, of which the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union managed 59 grassroots trade unions, reaching 140% of the target of establishing grassroots trade unions (of which, non-state enterprises were 57 units, accounting for 96.6%). If in 2018, the total number of union members was 12,915 people, up to now, the entire economic zone has 26,887 union members (an increase of 13,972 union members), of which the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union managed 23,906 union members. In 5 years, the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union developed an additional 12,461/10,000 union members, reaching 124.6% of the set target".

In Dien Chau district, as soon as it started operating in November 2021, Mareep Vietnam Co., Ltd. (located in Dien Thinh commune) proactively established a Trade Union organization with more than 200 initial union members. Up to now, the total number of union members of the company has reached more than 700 people. During the operation, in order to create consensus and harmonize interests, the company's Trade Union has organized dialogues between the enterprise and workers, through which many opinions of workers were received and resolved by the enterprise, creating a comfortable mentality for workers. The enterprise also well implemented regimes and policies such as working time, bonuses and allowances for diligence, overtime, support for union members in difficulty, etc.

Mr. Hoang Cong Anh - Ironing worker, Mareep Company Limited said: "While many garment enterprises are facing many difficulties, the company still has orders, jobs and income for workers, the company's labor is still guaranteed, the company's Union is also very concerned about the lives of workers. Therefore, I am determined to stay with the company for a long time".

Mr. Ha Huy Dong - Chairman of Dien Chau District Labor Federation said: "In order to develop union members and establish grassroots unions in enterprises, especially non-state enterprises in the district, the District Labor Federation has regularly surveyed and compiled statistics on the situation of workers and enterprises, on that basis, identified enterprises that are eligible to establish grassroots unions according to regulations to develop union member development plans for each year. Up to now, there have been 35 enterprises with trade unions, since 2018, 4,668 more union members have been admitted, an increase of 401% compared to the target".

The District Labor Federation proactively follows employers to propagate and mobilize, and at the same time, cares for and encourages workers spiritually and materially when they encounter difficult circumstances, accidents... in enterprises without a Trade Union organization, helping workers realize the role and position of the Trade Union organization so that they can voluntarily participate.

Mr. Ha Huy Dong - Chairman of Dien Chau District Labor Federation.

Innovation in forms of advocacy and propaganda

In recent years, the number ofnon-state enterprisegranted business licenses, continuously increasing operations, leading to rapid development of the structure, quantity and quality of the workforce. Therefore, establishing grassroots unions in this area to protect the legitimate and legal interests of workers is both a central and continuous goal and task, requiring determination, a sense of responsibility combined with effective solutions from the Trade Union organization.

According to Ms. Phan Thi Trang - Head of the Organizing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation, by the end of June 2023, the whole province had 530 non-state enterprises with grassroots trade unions with 84,100 union members, an increase of nearly 100 enterprises compared to 2018. Many indicators, such as the number of enterprises employing 25 or more workers establishing grassroots trade unions; the rate of union members gathering; the rate of grassroots trade unions in the non-state sector achieving strong results; the number of enterprises negotiating and signing collective labor agreements and non-state enterprises with trade unions organizing labor conferences all exceeded the set plan.

Every year, grassroots trade union organizations in non-state enterprises have also resolved dozens of strikes and labor disputes in enterprises. In particular, many outstanding trade union members have been trained and considered for introduction to the Party, creating a premise for developing party members and developing party organizations in enterprises with trade unions.

However, the establishment of trade unions and the development of union members in non-state enterprises in the province still face certain difficulties and limitations. Most enterprises in Nghe An are small enterprises, so it is very difficult to gather and mobilize workers to join trade unions; the situation of employers in enterprises deliberately avoiding the establishment of trade unions, not creating conditions for trade union officials to operate or approach workers is still common.

In addition, a number of workers have limited awareness, do not clearly understand the position and role of the Trade Union, and have not determined their rights and responsibilities when participating in the Trade Union. The trade union staff in enterprises mostly work part-time, having to work at high intensity to perform professional tasks according to the signed labor contract, and at the same time have to participate in organizing trade union activities, so the effectiveness of their activities is still very limited.

On the other hand, there are no policies or regimes to motivate and encourage materially and spiritually, as well as mechanisms to protect union officials that are not consistent and have not been strictly implemented, so they cannot create motivation to encourage union officials to enthusiastically participate.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi - Vice President of the Provincial Federation of Labor affirmed: "In the coming time, in order to rapidly develop the number of Trade Union organizations and improve the quality of grassroots trade union activities in non-state enterprises, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Federation of Labor will direct Trade Unions at all levels to focus on innovating and diversifying forms of propaganda, while organizing activities to take care of practical interests, focusing on interests to gather and attract workers to voluntarily participate in activities and join the Trade Union organization. Trade unions at all levels need to focus on doing a good job of inspection and supervision; focusing on the work of summarizing, summarizing, drawing experiences, finding new models, good and effective ways in developing union members, establishing Trade Union organizations, developing Party members, establishing Party organizations in non-state enterprises for replication".

Trade unions at all levels need to strengthen coordination with authorities at all levels, sectors, agencies, and functional units at the same level to investigate, survey, and grasp the situation of workers, laborers, and the current state of operations of enterprises without a trade union organization to propagate and mobilize union members, establish grassroots trade unions in localities and units, and create a premise for developing party members and establishing party organizations in enterprises.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nhi - Vice President of Provincial Labor Federation.