President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (third, left) and other delegates attend the launch of  Workers Month 2021 and the action month for labour safety and hygiene in Ha Noi on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked ministries, agencies, localities, political unions and enterprises to take better care of and protect the legitimate rights and interests of labour union members and workers.

He was speaking during a ceremony to celebrate the 135th anniversary of International Labour Day (May 1) in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

President Phúc hailed initiatives raised by trade union members and employees nationwide for the development of their businesses, agencies, units and the nation as a whole.

He emphasised that the working class has grown stronger and is the pioneering force to realise national aspirations.

“We understand the difficulties of workers in Việt Nam and the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers have to cope with losing jobs, the decline in incomes, and face many difficulties in their lives,” he said.

Phúc said that the Party and State have adopted effective measures to combat the pandemic and recover the national economy at the same time.

Incomes of labourers are expected to increase again and new jobs would be created in the future, helping to boost the rapid and sustainable growth of the country, he said.

In that spirit, he emphasised the need for the Vietnamese trade union to draw up an action plan to realise the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, saying the plan must carry forward the core, pioneer role of labourers nationwide.

Trade union organisations at all levels should revamp their operational methods to better care and protect legitimate rights and interests of workers, the President said.

Addressing the meeting, Nguyễn Đình Khang, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), highlighted the great contributions of the working class to the development of the Vietnamese revolution.

The VGCL has chosen the theme of “Solidarity, Creativity, Overcoming Difficulties, Development” for 2021, he said.

Khang said that more than 245,000 initiatives were created by labourers across the country under a programme launched by the confederation.

On this occasion, the VGCL launched the Workers’ Month and the Action Month for Labour Safety and Hygiene. The purpose of the action month is to enhance labour safety and hygiene training at local businesses, helping them update necessary information to tackle labour-related accidents.

During the action month, there will be activities such as visiting victims of labour-related accidents, organising inspections at enterprises and holding discussions on labour safety and hygiene.

It aims to give employers more responsibility in caring for the health of the employees, while businesses with a high risk of labour accidents and diseases have invested more in equipment and technology to improve labour conditions.

According to MoLISA’s occupational safety report for 2020, 8,380 work-related accidents were reported, resulting in 966  deaths and 7,644 injuries. The number of deaths fell by 13 persons (1.34 per cent) compared to 2019’s figure.

The localities with the highest number workplace accidents are HCM City, Hà Nội, Đồng Nai, Quảng Ninh, Bình Dương, Hải Dương, and Nghệ An. — VNS