Vietnam’s trade union should continue its important role in building up the working class and aim its operations at grassroots levels to address all issues arising in the work place as well as in daily life, said a senior leader.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong stated this at a ceremony held in Hanoi on July 28 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the country’s trade union.

State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee Huynh Dam, as well as many other representatives attended the event. Party General Secretary, Nong Duc Manh, sent a bouquet of flowers to congratulate the organisation on its 80th birthday.

NA Chairman Trong stressed that the past 80 years constitute a glorious period for the Vietnamese working classes’ and their trade union’s struggles under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh.

Despite having faced numerous challenges, often in difficult circumstances, the union has managed to successfully fulfill its tasks, adhere to the nation’s interests and unite and encourage workers, peasants and state employees to pioneer all the revolutionary movements, said Trong.

The legislative leader went on to say that the trade union has amassed the skills and intellect of Vietnamese workers, state employees and peasants to improve the enforcement of policies and laws.

The trade union has also worked to protect the legitimate rights and interests of all workers and create the best possible conditions for them to exercise their ownership rights in production and business activities.

Trong said he hoped that Vietnam ’s trade union will continue to develop in the years to come, and work with the Party, people and army to speed up the nation’s renewal process and successfully bring about modernisation and industrialisation to advance the socialist cause.

At the ceremony, NA Chairman Trong presented the Order of the Golden Star to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), which was conferred by the Party and State in recognition of the trade union’s great contributions to national construction and defence./.