This morning, in Hanoi, the 13th Congress of the Trade Union opened with 1,100 delegates representing 11 million union members nationwide in attendance. Over the three days, delegates will comprehensively evaluate the implementation of the resolution of the 12th Congress of the Trade Union (2018-2023), concretizing the Party's policy on building the working class and trade unions.

The Congress also reviewed the leadership role of the Executive Committee and the Presidium of the 12th General Confederation of Labor; set goals for the next 5 years; supplemented the Trade Union Charter, and elected the new Executive Committee of the General Confederation.

The Congress took place in the context of many fluctuations in the domestic and international situation, after the Covid-19 pandemic, war, and declining global demand, affecting all aspects of workers' lives. Therefore, the Congress chose to make breakthroughs in three areas: promoting dialogue and collective bargaining, focusing on wages, bonuses, working hours, rest hours, and occupational safety and hygiene; developing union members, establishing grassroots unions in non-state enterprises; and building a team of grassroots union chairmen to meet the tasks, especially in non-state enterprises.

During the congress, the Union set up 10 forums to discuss the content of promoting dialogue and negotiating collective labor agreements, especially on wages and working conditions; ensuring security for workers; and building a self-management model for workers in industrial parks.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is one of three parties participating in the National Wage Council's regional minimum wage adjustment negotiations each term. Over the past 5 years, the General Confederation of Labor has negotiated and increased the regional minimum wage by 25.34%; made efforts to reduce 55% of collective work stoppages, from 1,619 in the 2013-2018 period to 724, maintaining harmonious labor relations.

Hong Chieu