General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyễn Phú Trọng, has approved Resolution No 02-NQ/TW  on renovating the organisation and operation of the Việt Nam Trade Union.

On this occasion, Chairman of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour, Nguyễn Đình Khang, talks to the Vietnam News Agency about what the resolution means and the implementation plan that will bring the resolution to life.

How has the Việt Nam Trade Union received this resolution?

Trade union officials and union members nationwide are very happy about the resolution. This is particularly important now in that the trade union organisation is facing both many opportunities but also many challenges.

The fourth industrial revolution is taking place and has brought about ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices. This has profoundly affected the lives, productivity, and employment of workers.

The implementation of new-generation free trade agreements, the establishment of workers' organisations at the enterprise level, the Party's new policies on socio-economic development, and the realisation of national aspirations all require the Việt Nam Trade Union to take strong, radical steps to meet the requirements of the new labour environment.

In this context, the promulgation of the resolution is very meaningful, showing the Party's special interest in the Trade Union and the Vietnamese working class.

Resolution 02 was created as an important political basis for the State to institutionalise the views of the Party into legal provisions in the organisation of the Việt Nam Trade Union. This is also an important foundation for the Việt Nam Trade Union to develop an action plan, implement the plan to renovate the organisation, and operate in a substantive direction to meet new requirements.

The resolution made a general and comprehensive assessment of the results achieved by the Việt Nam Trade Union over the past 90 years, pointed out the limitations and clearly stated the causes as well as forecast the difficulties and challenges for the Vietnamese trade union in organising the trade union and setting out the tasks and solutions in the coming time.

What will the Trade Union do to bring the Resolution to life?

The leaders of the General Confederation immediately began to develop an action plan to organise the implementation of the Resolution in association with the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party.

Up to now, the Presidium of the General Confederation has given opinions and in the middle of July 2021, the Executive Board of the General Confederation will discuss and approve the programme.

The action plan is built with generalisation and comprehensiveness in mind, with works assigned specifically to agencies and units at all levels.

In particular, the Trade Union focuses on implementing solutions through developing plans and schemes for each level of the Trade Union to perform the tasks set out in the Resolution.

Trade unions at all levels actively advise the Party committees to develop coordination programmes, regulations, and work plans to reform trade union organisation and activities and to take care of and ensure the interests of employees.

In order for trade unions, union members, employees and society on the whole to understand the basic contents of the Resolution, the General Confederation has a plan to disseminate the information among union members, workers, officials and employees.

What do the changes mean for the Việt Nam Trade Union moving forward?

As mentioned above, the birth of Resolution No 02-NQ/TW is an important political basis for renovating the organisation and operation of the Trade Union, affirming the Party's trust in the Việt Nam Trade Union organisation. This is with the view to: "Build a strong trade union in Việt Nam as an important contribution to building the Party and political system, strengthening the great unity of all people, and protecting socialism."

The content of the Resolution expresses the Party's wishes, delivery, and assignment of tasks to the Trade Union.

I believe the operation of the Việt Nam Trade Union moving forward will be more effective, practical and meet the requirements of trade union activities. As we move toward greater international integration we will be better able to solve the problems that arise and better protect labourers. — VNS