Solutions for developing union members and establishing grassroots unions

Determined to exceed targets

After the Labor Code with the regulation that enterprises are allowed to establish organizations representing employees comes into effect, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is implemented, the Vietnam Trade Union will no longer be the only organization representing employees. Given this reality,Vietnam Trade UnionUnderstand that attracting union members, developing union members and establishing grassroots unions are inevitably competitive and will encounter difficulties.

Southeast Economic Zone union officials survey and grasp the business situation. Photo: DVCC

According to statistics, currently, the types of enterprises in Nghe An are developing rapidly, many enterprises in the textile, footwear, and electronics industries have invested in districts and industrial parks with a need to recruit a large number of workers. In addition, non-state enterprises operating in the province are developing rapidly in number but are mainly small and medium enterprises, the number of workers is not large, many enterprises are only family-based, using seasonal labor, the majority of workers are young, come from rural labor, do not have industrial working style and have limited legal knowledge, labor relations in this area are still unstable in many aspects, easily causing conflicts.

In addition, some enterprises implementing policies for employees still reveal many limitations such as: not yet building salary scales and tables or having them but they are not reasonable, the rate of employees not participating in social insurance is still quite large, many enterprises violate working hours and rest, working conditions... These are the main reasons that make labor relations in some enterprises tense, leading to labor disputes, work stoppages, strikes, affecting the economic and social development environment of the province, causing social disorder and insecurity.

The Education Trade Union is one of two units that successfully carried out the task of establishing a grassroots trade union during the Workers' Month of 2022. Photo: DVCC

Given the fact that there are still many issues that need to be resolved, the development of the Project "Developing union members and establishing grassroots unions in enterprises for the period 2022 - 2025 and vision to 2030" is extremely necessary.

Assessing the situation in the coming time, comrade Kha Van Tam - ChairmanLabor FederationThe province emphasized: “According to statistics, there are still many enterprises that have not established trade unions. In the coming time, with the province's investment invitation, many new enterprises with a large number of workers will be granted licenses to establish and operate. Nghe An Trade Union needs to make the most of the golden time to develop union members, establish grassroots trade unions to ensure market dominance before other organizations representing workers are established. To do this, trade unions at all levels need to rectify and promote grassroots activities in a practical direction, based on practical needs. Trade unions at all levels coordinate with their professional counterparts to develop strategies and specific measures determined to exceed the targets of the project.”

Implement multiple solutions simultaneously

To realize the set targets, the project "Developing union members, establishing grassroots unions in enterprises in the period of 2022 - 2025 and vision to 2030" has proposed many synchronous solutions.

The Dong Nam Economic Zone Trade Union established a grassroots trade union during Workers' Month 2022. Photo: DVCC

Accordingly, it is necessary to focus on the leadership and direction of the Executive Committee, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Federation of Labor and of trade unions at all levels, while taking advantage of the leadership of Party committees at all levels, the coordination of specialized authorities, and all levels and sectors. Specifically, it is necessary to promote the role and responsibility of the Steering Committee for developing union members, establishing grassroots unions, members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Federation of Labor, especially the responsibility of the Chairmen of the District Federation of Labor and Sectoral Trade Unions in the work of developing union members and establishing grassroots unions.

The district-level Labor Federation needs to coordinate with the government to advise on the establishment of a Steering Committee for the development of union members at the district level, headed by the leader of the district-level People's Committee. The Steering Committee for the development of union members of the industry is headed by the leader of the Department and has the participation of departments at the Department level. In addition, it is necessary to establish a team of collaborators including those with positions and prestige at the district, commune, ward and town levels, union officials at enterprises with a large number of workers, dedicated union officials who have just retired, and a team of public opinion collaborators to help with propaganda work, mobilize union members, and establish grassroots unions. District-level union officials also need tostrengthen relationshipsWork with the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments, branches and units to coordinate direction and management of businesses and laborers in the area.

Trade unions at all levels need to innovate forms of propaganda, mobilization, and persuasion of workers to join the union. To do this, trade union officials need to clearly grasp the situation and employment needs of enterprises in the province, establish a group of "core workers" in enterprises and in boarding houses as a nucleus for discovering and mobilizing workers to join the union organization, and promote the advantages of the information technology platform to serve propaganda. For some enterprises that are currently having difficulty in mobilizing business directors, many other mobilization measures should be implemented.

To attract workers, the quality of union cadres is a decisive factor. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on training and improving the qualifications of union cadres to develop union members. Accordingly, the study recommends that enterprises coordinate and arrange full-time union cadres for enterprises with 1,000 union members subject to calculating the salary fund for social insurance contributions. In addition, the work of cadres, the structure of the grassroots union executive committee at enterprises, training and fostering work, etc. also need to be concerned and improved.

By joining a trade union, workers are protected for their legitimate rights and interests. Photo: DVCC

The project also pointed out solutions to innovate content, improve the quality of trade union activities in enterprises, and create motivation.attract workersJoin the trade union organization; Strengthen inspection and supervision work, focus on preliminary and final reviews and rewards; Link the development of union members, establishment of grassroots unions with building strong grassroots unions, improving the quality of grassroots unions; Use financial resources effectively, initially create a difference between union members and workers who have not joined the Union and resolutely protect workers when their legitimate rights are violated.

Policy mechanisms for union member development, with priority given to increasing support funding, building professional staff in union member development, and summarizing and evaluating the replication of typical models. Accordingly, in the period of 2022 - 2030, Nghe An Trade Union will issue specific support mechanisms to develop union members in 5 key areas of the province, including: Southeast Economic Zone, Vinh city, Dien Chau district, Yen Thanh, Nghi Loc, focusing mainly onSoutheast Economic Zone.

Phan Trang