Difficulties in building Union organizations in non state-owned enterprises

Secretary Nguyen Hoang Hiep visits the bookshelf of union branch in Long Binh ward

According to the report of Dong Nai Youth Union, the province has now 10,237 limited companies, private enterprises, joint stock or joint venture companies. However, there are very few Union organizations in these enterprises. The province has so far had 144 union organizations and 24 union branches for those living in boarding houses. Union organizations were established only in small and medium enterprises, but not yet in big enterprises. Deputy Secretary of Dong Nai Youth Union Le Thi Ngoc Lan said that it was difficult to approach the enterprise owners, especially 100% foreign-invested enterprises because of the Law on Foreign Investment in Vietnam not clearly defining political system in enterprises. Moreover, activities of Union organizations in non stated-owned enterprises have been changed positively, but still face some difficulties due to the working time of workers.

It’s difficult to get enterprises established Union organizations

Hoang Viet Bach, Secretary of Dong Nai’s HCM Communist Youth Union, said “There are a lot of industrial zones in Bien Hoa city, so there also are numerous foreign enterprises. However, it’s very difficult for these enterprises to establish Union organizations, not only because enterprise owners do not want to do so, but also youth workers themselves are absorbed in their working shifts so they cannot spend time participating in Union organizations. Besides, Youth Union’s employees still lack professional skills. Therefore, some units have not focused on surveying and approaching enterprise owners to forward the establishment of Union organizations”.

In reality, some localities have had creative ideas to gather youth workers. A Secretary of Nhon Trach district’s Youth Union said that the Party cells in some enterprises would advise the provincial Party Committee on establishing Union organizations. Moreover, Union branches were also founded by gathering workers who work in the same enterprises in order to establish Association branches, and step by step moving Union organizations to enterprises. These Union branches engaged in public hygiene and other charitable activities of enterprises. So it was easier to establish Union organizations in enterprises. 

A Union branch in Long Binh ward

Secretary Nguyen Hoang Hiep stated that building Union organizations in non state-owned enterprises is the most difficult thing, even more difficult than gathering young people in rural areas. But this is not the only form to gather young workers to establish Union organizations. He added that Dong Nai province should join hands with the provincial HCM Communist Youth Union and Board of Management of industrial zones to find out effective solutions to building Union organizations in non state-owned enterprises.

Dong Nai province now has 24 union branches for workers living in boarding houses. Such union branches organized a lot of cultural activities for young workers to come close together, building civilized boarding houses. However, Secretary of Dong Nai Youth Union Bui Xuan Thong noted that each union branch still lack a location to organize activities for workers after leaving their shifts or in holidays, in which they can share music performance and talk with each other. He also stated that the province would carry out specific projects to enrich the spiritual life of workers.

Reported by T.Lien, Translated by Minh Minh