Communist Review - In recent years, the pioneering role of the Communist Party members in the working class of Vietnam has been promoted and obtained remarkable results. In spite of that, there are still some party members showing signs of degradation, leading to the reduction in the pioneering role and making people lose faith in the Communist Party of Vietnam. Therefore, continuing to promote the pioneering role of party members in the Vietnamese working class is a very important political task that needs to be promoted in the coming time.

Characteristics of the Vietnamese working class today

Firstly, Vietnamese working class has been increasing rapidly in number and diversifying in structure and occupations. Before the renovation period, the economy of Vietnam was operated and managed under an administrative, centralized, bureaucratic and subsidized mechanism. During that time, the working class accounted for only a small proportion and was quite homogeneous in terms of structure and occupations; they worked mainly in the state-owned and the collective sectors of the economy. Then in the process of renovation, open-door policy and international integration, the policy of developing a multi-sector economic has created an important shift for the economic structure, bringing a change in the social labor structure, thus making the workforce - industrial and service workers has grown rapidly in quantity and diversified in structure. The number of workers in the private economic sector and the foreign-invested economic sector has increased sharply, accounting for an increasing proportion.

Secondly, Vietnamese working class is being rejuvenated, their educational and professional qualifications have been gradually raised. In order to thoroughly overcome the limitations of the period of implementing administrative, centralized, bureaucratic and subsidized mechanisms and improve the professional qualifications of workers, modern scientific, technical and technological achievements to serve the activities of the industry has been applied. This is a huge and strict requirement for both enterprises and workers; and is also a motivation for workers to gradually improve their educational and professional qualifications. Along with that, the course of training and improving working style and discipline of each worker in the direction of modernity has also been paid attention to in order to meet the requirements of practice.

Thirdly, Vietnamese working class today has inherited and promoted the good traditions of itself during the revolutionary period with complete belief in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, being the leaders, being dynamic and creative in the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country. It is also the tradition of pioneering the revolution, persevering in overcoming difficulties, hardships and challenges; being drastic, dynamic, creative in production,... making an important contribution to the success of the cause of building socialism in Vietnam during the renovation period.

Fourthly, the number of workers in state-owned enterprises tends to decrease; the social stratification, the gap between rich and poor in the working class is expanding; the income disparity among workers is widening. In particular, the income of workers in the state economic sector is higher and more stable than that of workers in the non-state economic sector. There is an increasing disparity in income and living standards between workers owning shares and workers without shares in joint stock companies; between highly qualified and skilled workers (intellectual workers) with low-skilled or unskilled workers doing simple task.

Fifthly, the background of the Vietnamese working class has become more diversed and is not as homogeneous as before. However, with the characteristics of an agricultural country, the origin of the Vietnamese working class are still mostly farmers with limited professional qualifications and expertise. These people are still influenced by the style and way of thinking of farmers, and not yet adapted to the discipline and style of modern industrial labor. Most of them have not undergone basic and systematic training, so their qualifications and expertise are limited with low labor productivity and income. Meanwhile, the gap between rich and poor, social stratification among the working class is increasing. A part of workers still have many limitations in terms of class awareness, political bravery and awareness of policies and laws, causing certain difficulties for the development of party members who are workers.

The pioneering role of Communist Party members in the Vietnamese working class

At present, the majority of party members in the Vietnamese working class are fully awareness of the theoretical issues of scientific socialism - the spiritual weapon of the working class in the struggle to abolish the old regime and build a new social regime. Before becoming a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, workers working in enterprises and factories in industrial areas and export processing zones,… have been trained and challenged through many years. In order to become Communist Party members, they must be enlightened about communist ideals, learn revolutionary ethics and political qualities, be equipped with Marxist-Leninist theory, Ho Chi Minh's thought, viewpoints and lines of the Communist Party of Vietnam, policies and laws of the State of Vietnam, especially the renovation line of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Facing the country's socio-economic difficulties and challenges, the party members in the Vietnamese working class with their sense of responsibility for the Communist Party of Vietnam, the people and the nation, have always boldly renovated thinking and creativity; at the same time, resolutely overcome all difficulties to contribute to the overall achievement of the country's socio-economic development and political stability.

Communist Party members in the Vietnamese working class have a simple, rustic, sincere lifestyle, with a spirit of love and solidarity. They are active in work, thrifty in daily life, thrifty for their businesses, organizations, society and the community. They always strive to practice, make progress and improve their education and skills, affirm their capacity,... in order to advance in their careers, improve their skills and income, train themselves to a professional working style so as to meet the requirements of the industrialization and modernization of the country.

In the process of national renovation, many Communist Party members have enthusiastically taken the lead in finding new ways of performing tasks, boldly coming up with new initiatives, exploring and applying scientific and technical advances, contributing to the improvement of production efficiency and getting rich righteously. In particular, through the trade union, they have actively concretized some emulation movements that have achieved practical results, such as “Good Labor”, “Creative Labor”; “Be capable of national affairs and duteous at housework”; “Green - Clean - Beautiful, ensuring occupational safety and health”, “Culture and sport”, contributing to the successful implementation of political tasks and socio-economic development of each individual, agency, enterprise, locality, industry and country. By means of emulation movements, Communist Party members have actively mobilized workers to promote their initiatives, improve techniques, participate in scientific research, apply new technologies, improve labor productivity, product quality and enterprise competitiveness. One typical emulation movement could be mentioned is the linking construction of Lai Chau Hydropower Plant, with the goal of ensuring quality and safety, being economical and exceeding the schedule; thereby, promoting the wisdom, collective strength, and solidarity of the cadres, party members, union members and construction workers on the construction site. As a result, the movement had been completed one year ahead of schedule, benefiting for the state budget over 7,000 billion VND⁽¹⁾.

The majority of communist party members in the Vietnamese working class actively study and research to improve their professional qualifications. In addition to professional knowledge, they also consciously equip themselves with soft skills such as communication, proficient use of computers, mastering new technologies,... to strive to successfully complete all tasks and come up with solutions to increasingly improve their work. Along with that, the Communist Party members always uphold the exemplary spirit in their work and life; at the same time, orient workers, especially young workers who live far away from their families to a noble and true life; mobilize workers to actively participate in building the Communist Party of Vietnam, building a clean and strong political system.

The pioneering role of communist party members in the Vietnamese working class is evident in strongly promoting economic restructure in localities, helping workers quickly access and master scientific-technical and technological advances, creating more jobs, promoting more efficient production and business, making an important contribution to the effective implementation of the hunger eradication and poverty alleviation program. From the emulation movements, it can be seen that there are many families with Party members who are also workers good at improving economic, there are many typical examples who have overcome difficulties, escaped poverty and got rich righteously. In addition, Party members are always enthusiastic to contribute money, property and effort to build, repair and upgrade local infrastructure works such as schools, medical stations, roads, cultural houses,...

Issues need to be addressed

Although many remarkable results have been achieved, the pioneering role of Communist Party members in the Vietnamese working class has not yet met the set forth requirements. Therefore, in order to promote the pioneering role of communist party members, it is necessary to well-solve the following problems:

Firstly, the contradiction between the requirement to promote the pioneering role of the Communist Party members in the working class and their certain limitations in qualifications, awareness and capacity.

The development of communist party members in the working class has not met the requirements in terms of quantity, structure, professional qualifications and skills. The number of Communist Party members has increased, but the highly skilled and qualified party members are still lacking. Industrial parks and export processing zones use a lot of unskilled workers, mostly young workers who originally are farmers without basic training. According to a report by the Organization Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in 2019 there were 2,145 communist party members in enterprises and cooperatives failed to fulfill their tasks; in which, there were 63 communist party members failed to complete their tasks and were concluded and assessed by competent authorities as showing signs of degradation in morality and lifestyle; 1,479 communist party members were disciplined. Therefore, the current problem is to improve comprehensively and synchronously the qualifications, political qualities, ethics, lifestyle, intellectual capacity and organizing skills of practical activities for communist party members in the public class. In particular, the party organization needs to well-perform its leadership responsibilities, organize the implementation of political tasks, educate and train, manage and assign work to communist party members, promote the pioneering and exemplary role model of communist party members in daily life and work.

Secondly, the contradiction between the requirements and tasks assigned to the Communist Party members in the working class and the disproportionate proportion of communist party members in the working class.

Although the number of communist party members in the working class is increasing, it still accounts for a low proportion compared to the total number of the working class today. Many enterprises have neither party organization nor Communist Party members, there is no person to introduce and admit workers to the Communist Party of Vietnam; there is no official Communist Party member to guide and help members under probation. The proportion of Communist Party members in non-state enterprises and FDI enterprises is still low. The majority of the Communist Party members in the working class are still communists working in state-owned enterprises, administrative and non-business units.

Thirdly, the contradiction between the policy of promoting the Party among the working class and the expression of political indifference, lack of interest in the Party, not earnestly striving to join the Communist Party of Vietnam of a part of the workers.

Finding a person from direct labor to foster and develop the Party spirit is very difficult, because many workers are afraid to learn political theory as they think it affects working time and brings no income. In fact, there are workers who refuse to be sent to attend a training course on awareness of the Communist Party of Vietnam or in some cases, workes have been trained and introduced but hesitate to make the applicant's resume into the Communist Party of Vietnam. A part of workers are not eager to join the Communist Party of Vietnam and have not actively participated in socio-political organizations. They believe that, for ordinary workers with no opportunity to develop into leaders and managers, it is not necessary to strive to become party members. So as to settle this point of view, all levels of party committees, party organizations, and trade unions in enterprises need to take care of the material and spiritual interests of workers so that they can work with peace of mind; only then will they have enthusiasm and motivation to continue to strive to join the Communist Party of Vietnam with the spirit of voluntariness and self-discipline.

Fourthly, there are a number of problems arising in the relationship among activities of party organizations, trade unions and business owners.

In some places, business owners have not created favorable conditions for trade unions to operate, even prevented and deeply interfered in the work of trade unions, especially small and medium-sized family enterprises. Some levels of party committees and trade unions at enterprises and business owners are not fully aware of promoting the pioneering role of the Communist Party members in the working class. Therefore, it is necessary for all levels of party committees and trade union organizations to do well in mobilizing and persuading business owners. Each communist party member needs to prove that he is really a representative and outstanding person among the working class and shall have a positive impact on enterprises. At the same time, party organizations in enterprises should actively develop regulations on coordination between party committees and business owners, between business owners and trade union executive committees,... on the basis of cooperation for the legitimate rights and interests of communist cadres and party members, workers and enterprises.

Fifthly, the issue of solving the relationship between economic goals and raising the level of political enlightenment of Communist Party members in the working class.

Some young workers are affected by social evils, they live loosely, degrade in morality and lifestyle, and are far from the good nature of the working class. Many people consider work at factories as a way of making a living, not a career, and they have not considered it as their career. Therefore, raising the political enlightenment of workers is now a difficult problem. Moreover, the current workforce of workers cannot simply “struggle politically” with business owners, but can only “struggle economically” by demanding higher wages, income security, improved living standards,... Facing that situation, the contingent of communist party members must be pioneers and exemplary in all activities by propagandizing and mobilizing workers and business owners to strictly abide by the Party's guidelines, policies and laws of the State of Vietnam in enterprises; protecting the legitimate interests of employees and business owners; maintaining political security, social order and safety in enterprises and localities.

Some tasks and solutions need to be well implemented to promote the pioneering role of communist party members in the working class in the coming time

Firstly, raising the awareness and responsibilities of Party committees, Party cells, grassroots party organizations, Communist Party members in enterprises, and upper-level executive committees of grassroots Party organizations in enterprises.

It is necessary to continue to deeply grasp the point of view of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, and the Communist Party's point of view on the pioneering role of communist party members as well as to be well aware of issues on points and ideas of communist party members in the working class. This is an important basis for all levels of Party executive committees, Party cells and grassroots Party committees in enterprises to determine the right and feasible policies and solutions during leading, directing and promoting the pioneering role of the communist party members. On the basis of the directions, tasks and solutions to promote the pioneering role of the Communist Party members that the congresses of the Party cells, grassroots Party committees in enterprises and the upper-level Party congresses of grassroots organizations have approved, the new executive committee needs to select specific and appropriate contents to include in the activitiy contents of the cell, party committee, discuss and propose specific solutions. Quarterly, the Party Committee should carefully prepare the contents and organize the activities of the Party cells according to the topic on promoting the pioneering role of the communist party members in the working class.

Secondly, promoting education, training, improving political bravery, class enlightenment, awareness of the Communist Party's guidelines and policies, the State’s policies and laws; improving educational and professional skills, work capacity, morality and lifestyle of communist party members in the working class.

The education, training and improvement of political bravery, class enlightenment, awareness of the Communist Party's guidelines, the State’s policies and laws is indispensable; educational and professional skills, work capacity must be enhanced. The morality and lifestyle of communist party members must be suitable for each type of party member in the working class. There must be a periodical review on the implementation of education and training plans of Communist Party members; thereby, supplementing the necessary knowledge to solve arising problems and difficulties and having a complete and specific plan to achieve high results.

It is necessary to identify the core contents, focus on educating communist party members about political bravery, historical mission, role and position of the Vietnamese working class in the current period. Forms and methods of education, training, improving political bravery, sense of class enlightenment, awareness of the Communist Party's guidelines, the State’s policies and laws must be diversified. On that basis, the education, expertise, as well as professional skills, working capacity, ethics and lifestyle of party members in the working class will be improved in line with the operating conditions of the party members in enterprises. Furthermore, it is critical to attach importance to non-focused forms of training and retraining; organizing short-term training courses on political theory, propagating the Party's guidelines, and the State's policies and laws, contributing to raising the party's level of political theory and awareness of members in order to meet the requirements of the assigned work.

Thirdly, promoting the establishment and improving the quality of Party organizations in enterprises outside the state sector; attaching great importance to reasonable work assignment for Communist Party members.

Party organizations in enterprises outside the state sector could be established in two main ways: 1- Directly establishing party organizations by establishing and improving operational quality of socio-political organizations in enterprises; 2- Upper level committees of grassroots party committees in enterprises need to strengthen their leadership and direction, create favorable conditions to improve the operational quality of newly established party organizations in enterprises outside the state sector. In which, it is important to consolidate and improve the quality of the Party Committee, especially the Party cell's secretary; assign communist party members to be in charge of socio-political organizations in enterprises; promptly remove difficulties and problems arising in the operation of Party committees and branches in enterprises.

Party cells and committees in enterprises play an important role in promoting the pioneering role of communist party members in the working class. They are the subjects that directly lead and organize the implementation of the principles and solutions to promote the pioneering role of communist party members. In order for the role of party cells and party committees in enterprises to be clearly demonstrated and confirmed, it is necessary to have solutions to improve the quality of cells and committees to meet the requirements of the new situation; at the same time, based on the qualifications, capacity and specific conditions of each communist party member in the enterprise, the Party committees shall assign tasks reasonably and appropriately. Each Communist Party member must be active, self-conscious and uphold the sense of responsibility in performing the work assigned by the Party Cells. Executive committees must create favorable conditions for Communist Party members to well-perform their assigned tasks and strengthen the inspection and supervision of Communist Party members on the performance of such work.

Fourthly, strengthening the development of communist party members in the working class, supplementing the Communist Party of Vietnam with new resources and qualities; besides, promptly screening and eliminating the degraded members who reduce the pioneering role of the Party members.

There must be specific criteria for communist party members in the working class so as to make the process of admission to communist party members more accurate and strict, contributing to eliminating opportunistic elements that “sneak” into the Communist Party of Vietnam. Currently, the admission of communist party members in the working class is strictly implemented, attaching importance to quality, not quantity, ensuring the stringency. The development of communist party members must be closely linked with strengthening the party organization and making the contingent of party members transparent; being alert and watch out for opportunistic and reactionary elements that “sneak” into the ranks of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It is necessary to increasing the mass enrollment of business owners outside the state sector, especially owners of private businesses into the Communist Party of Vietnam; attaching importance to quality, standards, eligibility and admission procedures; at the same time, preventing those who want to “polish” their names, opportunists, especially political opportunists, from trying to “sneak into” the party organization. At the same time, we must promptly screen and resolutely remove from the Communist Party of Vietnam those members who have degraded, degenerated, and seriously reduced the pioneering role of the party members.

Fifthly, strengthening the coordination among party organizations, socio-political organizations, workers and business owners.

Regulations on coordination among party organizations, trade unions and business owners must be developed. This is the condition for the parties to perform their duties; on that basis, they could build a relationship of coordination and cooperation with business leaders for the sustainable development of the business and the benefits of employees.

Socio-political organizations play a very important role in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the working class. However, at present, the role of socio-political organizations in enterprises, especially in non-state and foreign-invested enterprises is still limited and vague. Therefore, it is necessary to build, consolidate and propose solutions to further promote the role of socio-political organizations, first and foremost, the role of trade unions, youth unions and other social-occupation organizations. Dialogues between representatives of trade unions, youth unions, workers,... and business owners at work must be strengthened; in which, focus on solving problems that attract employee’s attention. Through dialogue activities, Communist Party members will have conditions to share the operation situation of enterprises; listen to the thoughts and aspirations of trade union members and workers to reduce collective labor disputes and strikes.

Sixthly, strengthening the leadership, direction, inspection and supervision of the upper-level party committees of the grassroots party committees in enterprises.

Promoting the pioneering role of communist party members in enterprises is not only the task of the party committees in enterprises, but also the tasks and responsibilities of the upper-level party committees. It is necessary to focus on improving the quality of resolution of upper-level party committees and grassroots party committees in enterprises on building party organizations and improving the quality of communist party members in enterprises. It is essential to enhance the leadership and direct the implementation of resolutions of the upper-level party committees and grassroots party committees in enterprises on improving the quality of party organizations and communist party members in enterprises; preliminaries and summaries must be regularly conducted to learn from experience on promoting the pioneering role of communist party members in enterprises.

The upper-level party committees need to strengthen the inspection and supervision of party committees, party organizations and communist party members in enterprises on promoting the pioneering role of communist party members in the working class. They must directly inspect communist party members and pay special attention to inspecting communist party members who are officials in enterprises under the management of committees./.

----------------

(1) Report of the Executive Committee of the 11th Vietnam General Confederation of Labor at the 12th Vietnam Trade Union Congress, Hanoi, April 2018, p. 30

This article was published in the Communist Review, No. 969 (July 2021)