Nguyen Dinh Khang, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, shares insights into the historical mission, role and position of the Vietnamese working class in a new stage of national development. 

On the occasion of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Dinh Khang, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Party Committee secretary and president of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, granted an interview to the press on the historical mission, role and position of the Vietnamese working class in the new phase of development.

In the context of industrialisation, modernisation and deepening international integration, how do you assess the role, position and development of the Vietnamese working class after 40 years of renovation?

Nguyen Dinh Khang: Since its formation, particularly over the past 40 years of renovation, the Vietnamese workforce has consistently affirmed its historical mission, role and position as the class leading the revolution through its vanguard, the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Entering a period of accelerated industrialisation, modernisation and international integration, the workforce continues to play a core role, directly sustaining and expanding production, creating the bulk of material wealth and making major contributions to the state budget.

According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam currently has around 17.5 million workers in the industrial and construction sector and 21.2 million workers in the service sector, accounting for approximately 39% of the population and 73.6% of the total social labor force.

The quality of the workforce and skill levels have steadily improved. The proportion of trained workers increased from 64.5% in 2020 to 70% in 2025, while the share of workers holding degrees or certificates rose from 24.1% in 2020 to about 29.2% in 2025.

Notably, a new generation of young workers capable of mastering science and technology is taking shape, demonstrating fresh momentum and vitality of the Vietnamese working class in the digital era.

According to assessments by trade unions at all levels, the material and spiritual life of workers has improved in recent years. Employment remains largely stable; incomes and wages have risen; working environments continue to improve; labor relations have become more harmonious, stable and progressive, with a sharp decline in labor disputes and collective work stoppages. Grassroots democracy has been expanded, while social security and welfare policies have been increasingly strengthened.

As the largest representative organisation of workers, what key measures has the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor implemented?

Nguyen Dinh Khang: As “the largest representative organisation and the central force for gathering and uniting the working class and workers nationwide,” the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has implemented a wide range of measures, working together with the entire political system to build a modern, strong Vietnamese workforce that serves as a pioneering force in achieving rapid and sustainable national development.

First, greater emphasis has been placed on education and training to enhance political awareness, legal knowledge, class consciousness and national spirit among workers. Trade unions have proactively and flexibly adopted diverse approaches, including the application of digital technologies to renew methods of communication and dissemination of policies and laws, as well as compiling and distributing a large volume of materials for political and ideological education.

Legal counselling and support activities have helped raise workers’ legal awareness and capacity to protect their legitimate rights and interests, contributing to the building of harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations in enterprises.

The study and implementation of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and style have been carried out on a regular basis. Cultural activities and networks of grassroots communicators have proven effective, while cultural institutions, self-management groups in workers’ boarding houses and initiatives to improve spiritual life have continued to expand.

Each year, more than 80% of union members and workers participate in programmes to study and grasp the Party’s guidelines and policies, state laws and regulations of agencies, units and enterprises.

Second, trade unions have actively engaged in education and training to improve workers’ educational attainment, vocational skills and labor productivity. The movement encouraging lifelong learning among union members and workers has generated many effective models that have been widely replicated. Trade unions have proactively proposed measures to authorities and negotiated with employers to facilitate workers’ participation in training and skills upgrading.

At all levels, trade unions have coordinated the establishment of scholarship funds and learning centres, organised training and retraining courses, and encouraged mentoring models pairing highly skilled workers with new recruits.

Third, favourable environments have been created for workers to train, grow and mature through patriotic emulation movements and nationwide campaigns.

The emulation movement “Good Labor, Creative Labor” has generated millions of initiatives, delivering economic benefits worth hundreds of trillions of VND, thereby strongly inspiring creativity, discipline and social responsibility among workers, while contributing to higher productivity, quality and efficiency across the economy.

The proportion of commendations awarded to frontline workers and non-managerial staff reached 35.5%, exceeding the set target, clearly reflecting the orientation of placing union members and workers at the centre and focusing commendation efforts at the grassroots level where emulation movements are directly organised and implemented.

Fourth, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has continued to affirm its role in representing, caring for and protecting the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of workers. Trade unions at all levels have contributed opinions on thousands of legal documents, participated effectively in the National Wage Council, proposed adjustments to the minimum wage, conveyed workers’ aspirations to Party committees and authorities, and improved the quality of dialogue and collective bargaining.

As a result, 80.42% of collective labor agreements have been signed with provisions more favourable to workers in areas such as wages, bonuses, labor norms, occupational safety and health, working conditions and mid-shift meals.

Union welfare programmes have increasingly served as a vital pillar of support for millions of workers. Flagship initiatives such as Union Shelters, Warm Tet and Workers’ Month have been implemented nationwide, alongside the introduction of new worker-care models that have delivered positive results, notably the Union Meal programme. 

Over two years of implementation (2024 - 2025), more than 20,000 grassroots unions organised “Union Meals” with the participation of over 5 million union members.

Nearly 23 million union members and workers received support during the Lunar New Year period, with total assistance amounting to nearly VND 15 trillion.

Fifth, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has strengthened coordination with ministries, sectors and localities in building a modern, strong working class, promoting the core role of the working class in alliance with the peasantry and the intellectual community, while advancing the “intellectualisation” of workers.

Through these efforts, workers’ professional capacity, vocational skills and creative thinking have been enhanced, contributing to the formation of a modern, dynamic workforce capable of meeting the demands of industrialisation, modernisation and international integration.

During the 2023 - 2025 period, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor awarded 1,457 Creative Labor Certificates to outstanding individuals.

In your view, what are the major challenges currently facing trade unions and workers?

Nguyen Dinh Khang: Alongside the important achievements recorded, reality shows that the task of building the Vietnamese working class still faces numerous challenges.

First, the development of the working class has yet to keep pace with the requirements of the growth model and the national development strategy. The quality of human resources remains limited, with imbalances in the technical Labor structure and shortages of skilled workers, high-tech workers and those capable of mastering modern technologies.

Although the number of young workers is large, job stability remains low and career longevity is short, with a growing risk of migration into the informal sector, undermining the long-term sustainability of the working class.

Second, persistent shortcomings in benefit distribution and social security provision have weakened workers’ motivation. Employment remains insufficiently stable; the minimum wage does not yet ensure a decent living; and income disparities between labor groups and regions remain wide.

Social welfare systems, particularly housing, childcare facilities, healthcare services and cultural and recreational spaces, remain inadequate, increasing internal disparities within the working class and posing latent risks to labor relations stability.

Third, human resource management models have been slow to innovate and remain misaligned with the requirements of sustainable development. High labor intensity and long working hours persist, while investment in technological innovation and workforce quality improvement has yet to match expectations.

This situation limits workers’ ability to regenerate labor power, pursue skills upgrading and enjoy comprehensive life care, ultimately affecting national competitiveness.

Fourth, the summarisation of practical experience and theoretical research on the working class has not met the demands of the new context. Many emerging issues have yet to be adequately analysed, and breakthrough policies for building the working class have not been fully formulated.

Fifth, class consciousness, political awareness and legal knowledge among a segment of workers remain limited. The identification, training and placement of outstanding workers within the political system still face shortcomings.

Trade union activities, particularly in non-state enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises, encounter numerous difficulties. The legal provision allowing the establishment of workers’ organisations at enterprise level risks being exploited to divide the working class, posing new challenges to the Party’s leadership.

To build a modern, strong Vietnamese working class, what key tasks and solutions will the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor propose to the Party Central Committee and the National Congress?

Nguyen Dinh Khang: To build a modern, strong Vietnamese working class, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor will propose five major priorities to the Party Central Committee and the National Congress.

First, to issue a strategy for building the working class in close linkage with the socio-economic development strategy, clearly defining the orientation for building a modern, strong Vietnamese working class aligned with scientific and technological advancement and innovation.

Priority should be given to improving educational attainment, professional expertise, vocational skills, industrial discipline and work ethics, enabling the working class to adapt, develop, master knowledge and technology, integrate internationally and promote innovation in the new development era.

Second, to ensure harmonious distribution of benefits among workers, employers and society, with the foundation being the introduction of a minimum living standard regulation to replace the current minimum wage mechanism.

The social welfare and security system should be expanded, with greater attention to social insurance, housing, childcare, healthcare, education and cultural life for workers. Corporate social responsibility should be promoted, encouraging fair benefit sharing, sustainable employment, living wages and investment in human development.

Third, to study reductions in working hours while improving workers’ quality of life, in tandem with raising productivity and national competitiveness. This is a legitimate need that enables workers to regenerate labor power, care for family life, pursue further education and skills upgrading, thereby enhancing human resource quality and economic competitiveness and affirming the pioneering role of the Vietnamese working class in the new era.

Fourth, to place stronger emphasis on theoretical research and practical review of working-class development. The entire political system should be directed to review 20 years of implementation of Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure) on “Continuing to build the Vietnamese working class in the period of accelerated industrialisation and modernisation,” thereby forming new policy orientations for building a modern, strong working class in the new development era.

Fifth, to renew and strengthen the Party’s leadership and enhance coordination and support from the state and the entire political system to enable the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to fulfil its role in building a modern, strong working class.

Mechanisms should be refined to proactively prevent the exploitation of workers’ organisational rights for divisive purposes or for distorting and undermining the Party, the state and trade unions.

Greater attention should be given to admitting outstanding union members into the Party, particularly in enterprises without grassroots Party organisations.

With absolute confidence in the Party’s leadership and the successful outcome of the 14th National Congress, the working class and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor pledge to remain united, uphold their glorious traditions and pioneering revolutionary spirit, steadfastly advance under the Party’s banner, and make tireless, proactive and creative efforts to swiftly translate the Congress’s resolutions into reality, together with the entire Party, people and the military, to realise the aspiration of building a prosperous and happy Vietnam.

Thank you for your time and valuable insights.