Innovate union activities to make workers more confident in the digital era

The message was shared by Minister Nguyen Manh Hung at the 1st Congress of Vietnam Science and Technology Trade Union, term 2025-2030, December 24.

Today, I am very happy and excited to attend the 1st Congress of Vietnam Science and Technology Trade Union, term 2025-2030. This is a particularly important milestone, affirming the maturity, development and position of the Science and Technology Trade Union team in the development phase based on science – technology, innovation and digital transformation. This is an opportunity to look back on the past journey, determine vision, aspirations and breakthrough directions in the era of innovation and digital transformation.

I would like to speak about some innovations of the Vietnam Science and Technology Union.

Unions in the new era not only protect jobs, but also protect long-term employment; not only represents employees, but also accompanies them throughout their professional life cycle; Instead of thousands of new workers having a union official to support them, each union member will have a 24/7 support person, an AI assistant.

The firstThe union shifted its focus to supporting skills improvement, technology updates, and lifelong learning, considering improving long-term working capacity as the most core rights of workers. Previously, the Union mainly protected wages, working hours, and benefits, but now it must protect the right to learn new skills, update new technology, and not be excluded from the labor market because of technological backwardness.

In the new period, innovation in trade union activities must start from improving the capacity of workers, not just stopping at the level of traditional welfare care. Trade unions need to shift their focus to supporting skills development, especially new skills of workers in the digital environment: digital skills, working with data, AI, technology project management, intellectual property protection, commercialization of research results, working in research ordering models based on results, using digital technology for journalism, television, media, culture, post and telecommunications.

These are skills that if lacking, workers can easily fall behind, even if they have high professional qualifications. The union develops mass online training programs for workers on new skills, workers will self-study, take self-tests, and self-certify.

MondayThe union not only represents the general administrative unit, but also more closely represents each labor group, such as engineers, technology experts, digital platform workers, journalists, reporters, cultural workers… to support according to skill groups. Trade unions correctly understand each group of workers, correctly address their problems and properly protect their rights, risks and development opportunities.

TuesdayUnions become service providers for union members. The union provides practical services such as: labor legal advice, contract support, intellectual property, career change, risk protection when innovating, understanding and applying new policies. Build a digital platform and virtual assistant to support union members 24/7 on policies, laws, and rights.

Wednesdayapplying strong digital technology in all Trade Union activities. Transforming the Union from an organization that operates on paperwork, meetings, and procedures to an organization that operates on data, digital platforms, and smart tools, serving union members faster, more personalized, and more effectively. Unions must digitalize themselves before protecting workers in the digital age. Each union member has a digital profile, deploys a virtual union assistant, builds a union digital platform, analyzes union member data to detect labor risks, predict skills shortages, and digitize internal union administration such as meetings, voting, and online opinion gathering.

Thursdayparticipate in policy co-design, not just recommendations. Trade unions proactively participate from the beginning in building labor, wage, and skills policies, becoming policy partners of the State.

Fridayemulation movements must encourage true values. Emulation must be associated with productivity, innovation, and efficiency, not based on formality or short-term achievements. Unions must stand for real workers, not just good reporters.

Trade Union innovation is moving from an administrative model to a labor support service model using new tools and new technology; from movement activities to providing practical value. When the Trade Union helps workers work more efficiently, safer and more confidently in the face of rapid change, the Union will truly become the support of the workforce in the era of innovation and digital transformation.

With core values: “Pioneer – Creativity – Breakthrough – Loyalty – Loyalty” and action motto: “Set an example – Discipline – Focus – Breakthrough”, along with the tradition of solidarity, intelligence, bravery and enthusiasm of the staff, union members, and workers in the Science and Technology industry, I deeply believe that the Vietnam Science and Technology Union will constantly grow and mature; continue to affirm its role as a trusted representative organization of union members and workers, and at the same time pioneer in promoting innovation, developing science and technology, promoting digital transformation, contributing to improving labor productivity, quality of human resources, and national competitiveness; making an increasingly important contribution to the sustainable development of the industry and the country.