Fishermen expect innovation from fishing unions

Beliefs of fishing workers

In the training program on the organization and operation of the Fisheries Union organized by the Provincial Labor Federation, the delegates listened to the topic on the functions, tasks and powers of the Border Guard in managing and protecting the maritime border; the Law on Fisheries and State management documents on aquatic and marine exploitation and basic contents about the Vietnam Trade Union. After the training, the discussion at the end of the program left the most impressions and emotions for the participants.

Overview of the training session of the Provincial Labor Federation for 4 grassroots fishing unions. Photo: Diep Thanh

As the last speaker at the program, when the clock struck 12 noon, Mr. Nguyen Van Dung - Chairman of the Fisheries Union of Dien Ngoc Commune, Dien Chau District could not hide his emotions: "Everyone knows, we, the coastal people, have low education, many of us have not graduated from primary school, our whole lives we work drifting, alone on the water, with many risks, and little interaction. Although we carry within us the pride of our duty to protect our homeland's sea and islands, we still feel small and need to learn a lot more. Therefore,training eventThis is extremely meaningful to us, giving us the opportunity to sit together and improve our understanding. After the introduction to the trade union organization, I understand more and am more proud of the organization I participate in. I just hope that these programs will be held regularly, helping the voices of workers at sea to integrate with the voices of union members and other workers...".

Photo: Diep Thanh

With 112 union members, Dien Ngoc Commune Fisheries Union is having a favorable start when it was just established at the end of August and was fortunate to participate in formal training from the higher-level union in this program. Not only knowledge, the training program also brought many other feelings to the union members and participating fishermen. “At this event, for the first time in our lives, many of us had the opportunity to directly offer incense at Ho Chi Minh Square, stand at the foot of Uncle Ho's statue and report our achievements in the union's uniform. Not only that, we were also treated as honored guests, given thoughtful accommodation and meals, and had the opportunity to interact and meet new friends. This joy and honor cannot be described in words,” Mr. Dung confided.

Sharing the same sentiment, Mr. Nguyen Van Lien - Chairman of the Fisheries Union of Dien Bich Commune (Dien Chau) affirmed: “In recent years, along with many caring activities from the grassroots trade union and agencies and organizations, we have implemented many activities to support, care for and accompany fishermen. Since then, our 6 branches and 21 groups of the union have been united, united and have trust in the trade union organization. However, since its establishment in 2013, this is the first time we have participated in a practical and meaningful program organized by the Provincial Trade Union, specifically for fishermen like this”./.

The honor of fishermen when they come to report to Uncle Ho at Ho Chi Minh Square. Photo: Thanh Tung

Returning after the event, Mr. Lien said that the Dien Bich Commune Fisheries Union held a meeting of the Union Executive Committee, announced the concerns and innovations in the coming time, and implemented important contents to move towards perfecting the apparatus and completing the operating regulations according to Decision No. 2728/QD-TL of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Chat - Chairman of the Fisheries Union of Quynh Long Commune, Quynh Luu District, one of the oldest delegates participating in the training event, confided: “Although we have been working in this profession for many years, often exploiting in many distant sea areas such as Hoang Sa, we ourselves still have a lot of vague knowledge related to ourselves. At a program like this, we not only accumulate a lot of valuable knowledge from the lecturers but also have our questions answered and receive enthusiastic guidance. I just hope that the program will be organized regularly, expanding to more subjects, so that in the future there will be a force of fishermen with enough courage and knowledge to confidently protect the sea and islands of our homeland”.

Expect change

A common scene in meetings of fishermen is often groups of people arriving late, leaving early, talking privately, doing their own work... extremely messy. And to build a training program with 100% participation, 100% concentration of delegates of this group is not simple.

Photo: Diep Thanh

“In order for delegates to fully participate, we had to organize the event on a full moon day, when people were not at sea, contact the base very early, find out the training needs of the people, arrange staff to pick them up, contact the guest leaders of the department and find suitable lecturers. To connect the units, we also created conditions for people to meet and exchange with each other before, during and after the event. Through the event, I believe that union members and fishermen will have positive changes in knowledge, style..., and will find great values ​​beyond the knowledge imparted by the lecturers", Ms. Phan Thi Trang - Head of the Organizing Committee of the Provincial Labor Federation shared.

Indeed, the concerns of the provincial trade union officials have brought many benefits to the participants of the program. Mr. Nguyen Van Dung said: “In Dien Chau, we often exploit trawling - a type of exploitation that destroys aquatic resources and is not environmentally friendly. Participating in this event, being able to sit and interact with fishermen from other regions, exchange and learn about other types of exploitation such as capture, tattooing, squid fishing... will help us more conveniently in converting our exploitation model. We also asked for each other's phone numbers to facilitate support and work exchange in the future. After returning from the program, every member was happy and bragged to other fishermen about the program, very happy!” Mr. Dung also believed that through the bridgeunion organization, fishermen will have more community to bond, unite with each other, support each other when at sea as well as when on land. The spirit of solidarity is the strength to repel foreign invaders and reactionaries.

Delegates still attentively and seriously listened to the basic contents about the Trade Union organization. Photo: Diep Thanh

Mr. Nguyen Van Lien - Chairman of Dien Bich Commune Fisheries Union shared that the centralized organization of the event helps people absorb knowledge to the maximum. He said: “Normally, in the locality, propaganda and training are often messy, people do and listen at the same time, missing some things. But when organized like this, everyone will concentrate to the maximum, understand and remember a lot. A few days after returning from the event, I tried to quiz everyone on some related knowledge, everyone remembered everything. The professionalism, efficiency and knowledge from the training program are the premise for innovation, creating excitement for union officials and fishermen like us.”

The Provincial Labor Federation presented gifts to four grassroots fishing unions. Photo: Thanh Tung

At the same time, from this event, many fishermen expressed their hope that in the future, the provincial trade union will continue to care for and support the fishermen.fishing unionfacilities, organize more training courses on first aid, emergency care during exploitation at sea, related legal knowledge and deploy many support and visit contents for people.