The fulcrum of freelance labor

Many unions of diverse industries

In Ho Chi Minh City, up to now, 160 unions have been established with nearly 18,000 union members working in various fields and occupations: housework, loading and unloading, traditional motorbike taxi drivers, technology motorbike taxi drivers, lottery ticket sellers, nail, hairdressing, carpentry, electricity... According to Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation Le Thi Kim Thuy, developing union members and establishing unions is one of the important tasks that Ho Chi Minh City Labor Unions at all levels focus on implementing in a variety of fields and occupations, in order to care for and protect the legitimate and legal rights and interests of workers in the informal sector.

Members of the Traditional Motorbike Taxi Union of District 1 get their vehicles checked and have their oil changed for free at the festival to care for union members in difficulty.

According to Clause 3, Article 4 of the 2024 Trade Union Law, a grassroots trade union is a grassroots organization of the Vietnam Trade Union, gathering people working without labor relations, in the same industry, same profession or other specific workers.

Having participated in the An Dong Trade Center Stevedoring Union (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) for 24 years and currently holding the position of President of the union, Mr. Hoang Van Loi (54 years old) shared that before 2001, when there was no union, the stevedores at An Dong market gathered together to work. “Since the union was established, the rights of the members of the union have been better protected, and their jobs have been stable. In addition, union members have also been trained in professional skills, raising their awareness of the law, fire prevention and fighting, as well as increasing their sense of responsibility for their work,” said Mr. Loi.

According to Mr. Loi, in peak years, the An Dong Trade Center Stevedoring Union had more than 60 members. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic impact, the union now has only 18 members and operates quite orderly. Not only do they have stable jobs, union members also coordinate with the security force at An Dong Trade Center to ensure goods for small traders; actively participate in fire prevention and fighting, and maintain security and order.

Having just joined the An Dong Trade Center Stevedoring Union for about 7 months, Mr. Son Phanh (29 years old, from Tra Vinh province) said that since joining the union, his income has been stable, from 300,000 to 350,000 VND per day. By spending frugally, he can save a little money each month to send back home to help his wife pay for medicine for their son who has congenital airway stenosis. “When I was a freelance delivery worker, my income was unstable. Since joining the union, my income has been more stable. The most precious thing is that when they found out that my child was sick and needed a lot of treatment, the members of the union each contributed a little to help me take care of my child,” Mr. Son Phanh expressed.

Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation Le Thi Kim Thuy informed that through practical care activities in difficult times, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Union has established unions, with the hope that workers in the informal sector will consider this place as a support when they encounter difficulties. This will also be a place to help them stabilize their livelihoods and receive support on legal issues.

Protect rights, care when sick

Along with the increase in the labor force, the emergence of new industries operating on technology platforms has increased the number of workers without formal labor relations. Attracting, gathering and organizing this force is a major problem for the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union.

After a period of freelance work, Ms. Tran Thi Mai Thanh (58 years old, from Quang Ngai) joined the Thu Duc City Lottery Union. Ms. Mai Thanh confided that since joining the union, whenever she was sick, her union members would visit her and give her gifts to encourage her to try harder. She was also trained in legal regulations and how to protect her legal rights.

After a period of preparation and gathering of workers, on March 20, 2025, the Binh Thanh District Electricians Union was established, with 46 members in the electricity industry. This is the 12th union under the Binh Thanh District Labor Federation. According to the interim Chairman of the Binh Thanh District Electricians Union, Nguyen Van Hung, in the coming time, the Executive Committee will carry out activities to create conditions for union members to participate in union activities, access social security policies and regimes like other workers; at the same time, create activities to exchange, discuss, and learn from each other, contributing to maintaining security and order in the locality.

For many freelance workers, the union has become a second home. Mr. Vo Anh Dung, Chairman of the District 1 Traditional Motorbike Taxi Union, said that union members feel more confident and conscious in their daily work. “We receive care, sharing, encouragement, and support from the district and city trade union organizations. Many elderly and sick people are given savings books and care packages during holidays and when they are sick,” Mr. Dung confided.

According to the Binh Duong Provincial Federation of Labor, trade unions at all levels in the area are implementing many activities in response to Workers' Month 2025. Accordingly, in Workers' Month 2025, trade unions at all levels in the province closely follow the themes of Vietnamese Workers pioneering into a new era, with 5 groups of activities including: "Creative workers, confidently entering a new era"; the program "Dialogue in May" and the forum "Party with workers - Workers with the Party"; the program "Thanking workers"; organizing a peak month for developing union members, establishing grassroots unions, introducing and developing party members and workers; the program "Propaganda, raising awareness of union members and workers"...

The Binh Thuan Provincial Federation of Labor has just coordinated with the provincial Department of Home Affairs to organize the launching ceremony of Workers' Month and the Month of Action on occupational safety and hygiene in 2025. With the theme "Vietnamese workers pioneering the new era", in May 2025, the Binh Thuan Provincial Federation of Labor will focus on the grassroots level, creating a spread in all levels of trade unions.

LE XUAN - NGUYEN TIEN

Thai Phuong

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/diem-tua-cua-lao-dong-tu-do-post794553.html