Fisheries Trade Union participates in sustainable development of the fisheries industry

Reliable address, supporting fishermen on each trip

Currently, the Vietnam Fisheries Trade Union (VFTU) has 90 establishments in 18/28 coastal provinces and cities, with 18,272 union members and over 5,097 fishing vessels.

According to Mr. Do Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Development Trade Union and Chairman of VFTU, during 10 years of operation and 3 years of implementing Decision No. 2728/QD-TLD, VFTU regularly updates information and maintains contact with the Labor Federation of provinces, cities, and districts that have fisheries trade unions and with grassroots fisheries trade unions to receive information and recommendations and promptly report to the competent authority. At the same time, advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to request the Government have policies to directly support union members and fishermen exploiting seafood at sea.

In terms of organization, grassroots fisheries trade unions are basically under the comprehensive management and direction of the Labor Federation of districts and cities in the province (82/90 grassroots fisheries trade unions). Eight grassroots fisheries unions are managed and directed by the local Agriculture and Rural Development Trade Union in the provinces of Quang Binh (3), Khanh Hoa (3), Tien Giang (1), and Thanh Hoa (1). VFTU has coordinated with the Agriculture and Rural Development Trade Union and the Labor Federation at district level in localities to direct professional activities for grassroots fisheries trade unions.

Grassroots fisheries trade union officials all work concurrently in a voluntary spirit and are structured as ship owners, fishing team leaders, or mostly reputable offshore fishermen. The union's time for activities is limited due to long days at sea. Organizing activities is also difficult because union members go to sea by ship, by season, and only stay home when the sea is rough.

Important contributions

The activities of the Industry Trade Union and VFTU are increasingly performing their role in participating in state management as well as protecting the legitimate rights and interests of union members and workers and improving welfare for union members.

VFTU advised the Industry Trade Union to sign the pilot Coordination Program in directing the activities of the fisheries trade union in the area with a number of Provincial Labor Federations (Quang Binh, Khanh Hoa) and sent a draft Coordination Program to the remaining 14 Provincial/City Labor Federations. This aims to coordinate and direct grassroots fisheries trade unions to operate in accordance with the content specified in Decision No. 2728/QD-TLD. VFTU also signed a Coordination Program with the district-level Labor Federation (Van Don) and a draft Coordination Program with the district-level Labor Federation on coordinating and directing the activities of the grassroots fisheries trade union; collected comments; and organized signing.

In addition, VFTU has proactively registered a General Confederation-level scientific research topic on "Investigating and evaluating occupational safety and hygiene on fishing vessels" (approved by the General Confederation). This aims to promote support for the development of fisheries trade unions nationwide to participate in exploiting seafood responsibly, developing the fisheries industry sustainably, raising awareness of occupational safety and hygiene, and preventing fire and explosions in fishing vessel.

Continue to perfect the Fisheries Trade Union's organizational and operational model

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien highly appreciated VFTU's efforts in implementing political tasks, contributing to early removal of the IUU yellow card, and participating in the sustainable development of the fisheries industry.

In addition to the results achieved, the Fisheries  Trade Union looked back at the limitations and weaknesses in its operations to draw from experience and find solutions.

At the conference, Mr. Nguyen Van Lien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee and Chairman of Dien Bich Fisheries Trade Union (Dien Chau district, Nghe An), also proposed some recommendations on allocating operational funds as well as developing specific regulations and coordination programs to make the fisheries trade union's activities more effective.

On the basis of listening to the opinions and contributions of the delegates, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien proposed that, in the coming time, the Industry Trade Union and the Fisheries Trade Union implement the following contents:

Focus on disseminating and mobilizing trade union members and workers to well implement the Coordination Program between MARD and the General Confederation on "Promoting the emulation movement to serve the cause of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural development in the 2020–2030 period," as well as Directive No. 32 dated April 10, 2024, of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat. Continue to perfect the organizational and operational model of the Fisheries Trade Union at all levels; innovate operating methods in the direction of taking the representation, care, and protection of legal and legitimate rights and interests of union members and workers as the goal and taking the grassroots trade union as the main area of operation. In addition, focus on taking care of union members and workers, especially workers in difficult circumstances or suffering from work accidents, especially on the Lunar New Year of At Ty 2025.

On this occasion, the signing ceremony of the Coordination Program between VFTU and the Directorate of Fisheries and the Department of Fisheries Resources Surveillance and between the Vietnam Fisheries Association and the Labor Federation and Trade Union of localities with grassroots fisheries trade unions.

Through the signing, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Association Nguyen Viet Thang, pledged to try to promote his role and well perform activities in the spirit of always speaking up and fighting to protect the rights of fishermen.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang hopes that in the future, our country will soon establish grassroots-level fisheries trade unions in all 28 provinces and cities that well perform the political and social role from the central to the local level.