Listening from the grassroots, acting for the workers of the capital city.

Over the past two months, the Hanoi City Federation of Labor has been collecting opinions and suggestions from workers through grassroots trade unions in preparation for the meeting and dialogue between the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee and workers in the capital city in 2026, which will take place tomorrow (May 29).

Hundreds of opinions were submitted, reflecting not only concerns about employment, income, housing, and living conditions, but also the expectations of workers for increasingly practical policies that bring long-term stability.

Dialogue to resolve practical problems.

Over the years, trade unions at all levels in Hanoi have implemented many practical activities to effectively fulfill their function of representing, caring for, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of union members and workers. From organizing conferences for officials, civil servants, and employees; conferences for workers; to regular workplace dialogues, negotiations, and the signing of collective labor agreements, all activities are aimed at building harmonious, stable, and progressive labor relations within enterprises.

Chairman of the Hanoi City Federation of Labor, Nguyen Van Thang, visits and presents gifts to Mr. Phi Dinh Vuong, a worker at Young Fast Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Hoai Duc commune who suffered a work accident. Photo: H. Ha

In particular, regular dialogue between employers and trade unions, union members, and workers at units and businesses in the city has been maintained relatively systematically, averaging 75.6% each year. Through these dialogues, many requests related to wages, bonuses, meal allowances, working environment, social insurance, occupational safety and health, etc., have been resolved at the grassroots level.

Leaders of the Hanoi City Federation of Labor Unions cordially inquired about the work, income, and living conditions of the workers. Photo: Hai Ha

Beyond its role as a bridge within businesses, the city's trade union actively collaborates with authorities at all levels to bring the voices of workers closer to city leaders. Annually, the meeting between the Chairman of the City People's Committee and union members and workers has become a democratic and open forum for workers to directly express their thoughts and aspirations and propose solutions to overcome difficulties in their lives and work.

At the 2025 dialogue conference, more than 500 written proposals and 36 direct comments were submitted to city leaders. These comments focused on four major areas: social housing and schools for children of workers; social insurance and food safety; vocational training and job creation; and support for businesses to develop production.

Immediately after the conference, the Chairman of the City People's Committee directed relevant departments and agencies to implement and resolve many of the workers' requests. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Hoai, a worker renting accommodation in Yen Hoa ward, what workers appreciate is that many practical social issues have gradually been addressed, especially in the fields of education and social welfare.

Currently, the percentage of public schools meeting national standards in the city is approximately 80.6%. The Department of Education and Training has advised the city to prioritize resources for education, striving to raise the percentage of schools meeting national standards to 85-90% by 2030. This information is of great concern to many workers, as the issue of schooling for their children is always a major pressure for working-class families living in industrial zones and densely populated residential areas.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, a worker at the Bac Thang Long Industrial Park, shared: “What I hope for most is to have more public schools near my home so that my children can study more conveniently. Workers don't earn high incomes, so sending our children to schools far away or to private schools is very stressful. We are very happy that the city continues to invest in schools for the children of workers.”

The Chairman of the Hanoi City Federation of Labor Unions personally visited the construction site to inquire about the well-being of the workers, present gifts, and encourage those who were working throughout the holiday period. Photo: N. Ánh

Along with education, issues related to social insurance, healthcare, and food safety continue to receive attention. Many health check-up programs, reproductive health counseling, and occupational disease screening for workers have been organized in coordination with the Trade Union and healthcare facilities in the area.

However, alongside the achievements, many issues remain that require further attention, most notably the need to improve the quality of life, convenient transportation, and social housing for workers.

Expectations from recommendations submitted to the 2026 dialogue conference.

Continuing the spirit of listening from the grassroots, over the past two months, the Hanoi City Federation of Labor has distributed questionnaires to gather opinions and suggestions from workers through grassroots trade unions in preparation for the conference "The Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee meets and dialogues with workers in the capital city in 2026" taking place tomorrow (May 29).

To date, the Conference Organizing Committee has received over 600 opinions and suggestions from worker delegates and grassroots trade unions. These opinions focus on five main groups of issues: social security, housing and workers' living conditions; healthcare, social insurance, health insurance and food safety; employment, training and skills development; social order, security and safety; and support for businesses and production development.

Based on the feedback received, it is evident that workers are increasingly concerned about long-term quality of life, not just immediate income. Many workers hope that the city will continue to implement policies to support and simplify procedures for renewing worker housing leases; adjust the regional minimum wage upwards annually; or develop mechanisms suitable to the actual conditions of the capital city to ensure a minimum standard of living and gradually increase workers' income.

Mr. Tran Van Dung, a mechanical worker in Dong Anh commune, expressed: “What workers need is not only stable employment but also opportunities to improve their skills to earn a better income. Currently, many businesses are rapidly changing their technology, so workers also need training support to keep up with job requirements.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Pham Thi Lan, a garment worker in Long Bien ward, said she hopes this conference will provide more concrete solutions regarding social housing for workers. “For many years, my husband and I have been renting. We hope for housing projects that are affordable for workers so we can feel secure and committed to living in the capital,” Ms. Lan shared.

Not only workers, but many businesses also hope that the city will continue to support them, removing obstacles related to administrative procedures, production space, access to capital, and technological transformation to stabilize production and business. When businesses develop stably, it also means that workers have more jobs, better income, and better benefits.

The 2026 dialogue conference is therefore expected to continue to be a practical forum for the city government to listen to issues arising from the real-life situations of workers, and to propose appropriate solutions to better care for the workforce directly involved in production.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Hoai, what workers expect is not just words of encouragement, but also concrete actions following the dialogue. "Each resolved request will help workers feel more secure in their jobs and have greater confidence in the support of the Trade Union and the city government."

In the context of Hanoi's development, listening to and promptly addressing suggestions from the grassroots level not only contributes to protecting workers' rights but also lays the foundation for building an increasingly strong workforce in the capital, making positive contributions to Hanoi's rapid and sustainable development.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/lang-nghe-tu-co-so-hanh-dong-vi-nguoi-lao-dong-thu-do-976023.html