Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng speaks at a session of the 12th Congress of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-23 tenure which is now underway in Hà Nội on Tuesday. –VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng on Tuesday urged all-level trade unions to renew and improve the efficiency of their operations.

The Party leader made the request while addressing a session of the 12th Congress of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-23 tenure which is now underway in Hà Nội.

"The Vietnamese Party, State and people always give special attention and care to the working class," he said, highlighting different economic sectors and their pioneering role in the national industrialisation and modernisation.

"Therefore, developing a strong working class in the context of intensified industrialisation and modernisation is an important and urgent actions of the Party, State, the entire political system, each citizen and the whole society, especially the trade unions," Party leader Trọng said.

He asked trade unions at all levels to take care improving political awareness and the will of labourers, and educate them about patriotism which, he said, should be transformed into efforts to improve knowledge and skills in order to meet requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The leader also urged trade unions to improve their role of representing and protecting legitimate rights and interests of their members and employees, and pay more attention to policies on salary, social and health insurance, occupational safety and hygiene, and health of labourers.

He also said unions must raise the quality of negotiations, signing and implementation of labour agreements, while intensifying welfare programmes for members, focusing on employment, housing, kindergartens, electricity and water supply, and health care.

They were also asked to coordinate with agencies, organisations and businesses to promptly address the concerns of workers.

Party General Secretary Trọng highlighted the role of trade unions in building the Party and administration, fighting corruption, wastefulness and other negative deeds, and preventing the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

He assigned all-level Party Committees, organisations, authorities, Việt Nam Fatherland Front chapters and political and social organisations to focus on institutionalising and materialising the Party’s policies and guidelines towards the working class.

 Executive Board 

The 12th Congress of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-2023 tenure on the same day elected an Executive Board with 161 members.
This is a major political event, a big festival of the working class and trade union organisations of Viet Nam which determines important issues related to employees and trade union activities over the next five years.
The congress is scheduled to discuss and adopt various reports of the VGCL, including reviews of the last five years in implementing the 11th Congress’s resolution and missions for the 2018-2023 tenure, and the amendment of the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union, among others.
Participants will work to pass the resolution of the 12th Congress, with missions, solutions, and breakthroughs in the 2018-2023 tenure.

A forum themed “The VGCL accompanying the Government to improve the nation’s competitiveness and sustainably develop the country” will be held today, creating opportunities for participants to express their wishes and affirm their determination in joining hands with the Government to boost socio-economic development.— VNS