Vietnamese Workers Push for Higher Wages and Shorter Hours as Union Congress Draws Top Leaders
05.06.2026 - 02:48:49 | boerse-global.de
Hanoi – Delegates representing nearly ten million unionized workers in Vietnam are demanding better pay, shorter hours, and stronger workplace protections as their national congress enters its second day. The demands, voiced by members of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), come as the government targets double-digit economic growth and seeks union support to lift labor productivity.
The 14th VGCL congress opened Thursday at the National Convention Center in Hanoi with 780 delegates. The entire top tier of Vietnam’s leadership attended the opening: Party chief and President To Lam, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. The event runs under the theme “Unity, Democracy, Discipline, Innovation and Development”.
To Lam delivered a keynote address, while outgoing VGCL President Nguyen Anh Tuan presented a political accountability report. The agenda includes reviewing resolutions from the 13th congress, amending the union’s statutes, and electing a new 14th Executive Committee. Preliminary votes on Wednesday selected a 27-member presidium and launched working-group discussions.
The union disclosed striking membership figures during the session. Between 2024 and May 2026, the VGCL recruited 2.2 million new members and established more than 15,000 new grassroots unions. Collective bargaining agreements now cover 80.42 percent of companies that have a workplace union. Over recent years, the organization channeled roughly one billion euros into worker-assistance programs, according to congress documents.
More than 380,000 workplace initiatives were logged, with an estimated economic value exceeding 1.5 billion euros. A flagship program called the “union meal” reached 2.17 million employees in 2025, backed by a budget of around 5.5 million euros.
A draft of the revised statutes—nine chapters and 31 articles—drew some 1.5 million comments during the preparatory phase. Delegates from Ho Chi Minh City numbered 92, and 34 came from Dong Nai province.
Beyond wages and hours, union members are pressing for better worker protection and a digital transformation of trade-union operations, along with upgraded training for union officials. The congress closes on Friday with a planned dialogue between the prime minister and delegates on how the VGCL can support the government’s push for a two-digit economic growth rate and higher labor productivity.
