Building a team of professional, courageous and responsible union officials

In the 6 main tasks and solutions stated in Resolution No. 02 on innovation of organization and operation of Vietnam Trade Union in the new situation, the solution on "Continuing to arrange and perfect the organizational model;building a team of union officials"Professional, qualified and capable of meeting the requirements of tasks in the new situation" plays a core role, opening up many new directions and many things that need to be done immediately to build a team of union cadres at all levels.

Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW on trade union cadre work determines the building of a team of trade union cadres that ensures quantity, quality, intelligence, courage, enthusiasm, responsibility, prestige, and the ability to dialogue, lead, inspire, gather, and unite workers; the head of the trade union organization must have high prestige, deep understanding, and practical experience in mass mobilization work, especially mobilizing workers, laborers, and business owners; the structure of the Party Committee at all levels must have a reasonable proportion of adults from workers and trade unions. The Party Committee agrees with the higher-level trade union in promoting, transferring, and rotating the president and vice president of the same-level trade union; research and promulgate appropriate policies for recruitmentunion officialsGrow from the grassroots, in the workers' movement; attract and motivate union cadres; research and propose a reasonable mechanism for assigning staff to unions, ensuring that it meets task requirements and actual situations.

The task of building a team of union cadres and improving the capacity and qualifications of union cadres is a regular and continuous task, which has been set forth in many terms of the Vietnam Trade Union Congress. This is also one of the three breakthroughs set forth by the 18th Congress of Nghe An Trade Union, term 2018-2023.

Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation currently has 28 trade unions directly above the grassroots level with 2,902 grassroots trade unions, 156,732 union members out of a total of 170,431 workers, civil servants, and laborers (where there are trade unions), with 147 full-time trade union officials, 10,209 part-time trade union officials from the level of Executive Committee member of the grassroots trade union and above. In recent years, the work of Nghe An Trade Union officials has had positive changes. Training and coaching for full-time trade union officials focuses on in-depth training to build a team of well-rounded trade union officials; forming a team of part-time lecturers, strengthening training for grassroots trade union officials, focusing on the contents of labor policies and laws, trade union activity skills, skills in building and negotiating collective labor agreements.

However, in the current period, it must be frankly acknowledged that the capacity and qualifications of the trade union staff in general still have many shortcomings. Many full-time trade union staff still carry the mindset of the subsidy period trade union, bureaucratizing the activities of the trade union organization. Grassroots trade union staff, many trade union staff lack experience and skills and are confused in the methods of organizing trade union activities. Besides, in the current period, labor relations in the non-state sector and FDI enterprises are posing new requirements requiring trade union organizations to fundamentally change the content and methods of operation to practically care for and protect the rights of workers. Therefore, improving the capacity of trade union staff, especially grassroots trade union staff in the business sector isurgent requestof trade unions.

Training for union officials in Cua Lo town on August 13, 2021. Photo: DVCC

From the contents of Resolution 02-NQ/BCT on innovation of trade union cadre work, the Party has set out requirements for trade union cadres to have, which are: "Professionalism, intelligence, courage, enthusiasm, responsibility".

First of all, talking about professionalism: In simple terms, it means being dedicated to one's profession and work. It is expressed in a dedicated, devoted, and responsible attitude towards assigned tasks. Thus, a union official who achieves professionalism must have in-depth knowledge of the trade union's expertise and professional work in response to the requirements. In each different position, union officials are required to have different levels of professionalism. For grassroots union officials, the level directly above the grassroots, professionalism tends towards the ability to gather the masses and organize practical activities, a style closely related to union members and workers; the ability to apply theory to practice in order to operate. For provincial and industry-level union officials, professionalism is mainly expressed in the concretization of programs and policies into trade union activities; organizing solutions, guiding the content and methods of representing and protecting workers. Coordinate with competent authorities to inspect and supervise the implementation of regimes and policies for employees.

In addition, union officials must have capacity, intelligence, and courage. An intelligent union official is someone who thinks positively, is always sharp, always thinks and researches to come up with good, new, and effective ways of doing assigned tasks, contributing to saving time and costs for the union organization. An intelligent union official is not necessarily someone who has creative products, but someone who knows how to inspire and stimulate creativity, to help union members and workers develop initiatives, improve techniques, and create products that benefit the business. To become an intelligent union official, the union official himself must constantly practice and improve his professional capacity in union activities.

Dialogue between the Standing Committee of the Provincial Federation of Labor and the Chairman of the Enterprise Bloc's grassroots trade union. Photo: DT

The mettle of a trade union official is understood as the steadfastness and determination with the mission and goals of the trade union organization, daring to think, daring to do, courageously fighting against the wrong, protecting the right, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of union members and workers. Being a person who is concerned about the work he undertakes, daring to innovate and change his thinking about the content and working methods; not afraid of difficulties in resolving conflicts arising between workers and employers;ready to take on the missionwhen the union assigns

A professional, intelligent and courageous trade union official is one who has professional knowledge, a firm grasp of trade union theory and practice; is enthusiastic and dedicated to the movement; has a sense of organization, discipline and a high sense of responsibility; and is always steadfast in the goals of the trade union organization.Dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility; willing to sacrifice personal interests, fight for the interests of the collective, for the legitimate and legal rights of workers.

Sharing the content of Resolution 02 for the Chairman of the Enterprise Sector Trade Union. Photo: DT

To successfully implement the breakthrough of the Resolution of Nghe An Trade Union Congress and effectively implement Resolution 02 on building professional, intelligent and courageous trade union cadres.

Comrade Kha Van Tam - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Federation of Labor said: In the coming time, all levels need to focus on raising awareness of trade union officials in the new situation. The training and fostering of trade union officials must also be innovated in a professional direction; training and fostering content according to each topic, job position and supplemented with skills to handle situations arising in practice. Research on the application of information technology in online training to create conditions for trade union officials to access training programs conveniently and easily. For the grassroots level interested in selecting the chairman of the grassroots trade union, he must truly be the leader of the collective of workers. At the same time, strengthen protection measures and pay attention to implementing policies for trade union officials, especially grassroots trade union officials. Pay attention to recognizing the contributions, have timely forms of encouragement and rewards for trade union officials at all levels.