Promote the high-quality development of trade union work in the new era and new journey
The Party Group of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions of the Communist Party of China
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always been concerned about the working class and the work of trade unions, and has checked and directed the party's labor movement and trade union work through speeches, congratulatory letters, replies and instructions. On October 23, 2023, shortly after the conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Trade Unions, General Secretary Xi Jinping had a collective conversation with the members of the new leadership team of the ACFTU, which was the third collective conversation since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In this collective conversation, General Secretary Xi Jinping expounded a series of major policies of the CPC Central Committee on the work of the working class and trade unions, and put forward new and higher requirements for doing a good job in trade union work at present and in the future. The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels have thoroughly studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, taken "loyalty to the party's cause and dedicated service to employees" as their own responsibility, actively performed their duties and responsibilities, had the courage to take responsibility, and organized and mobilized hundreds of millions of workers to unite and struggle for the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation.
Uphold the party's leadership over the cause of the labor movement and the work of trade unions
Trade union organizations are not only mass organizations, but also political organizations, and stressing politics is the first requirement. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly made systematic expositions on upholding the party's leadership over the cause of the labor movement and the work of trade unions. As early as 2013, when General Secretary Xi Jinping had his first collective conversation with the members of the new leadership group of the ACFTU after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he pointed out in a clear and unequivocal manner that the key to whether the trade unions have done well and whether they have achieved remarkable results depends on whether they have adhered to the correct political direction; to adhere to the correct political direction is to adhere to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system; and the trade unions must always maintain the fine tradition of consciously accepting the party's leadership. Since then, at the National Conference on the Commendation of Model Workers and Advanced Workers, the Central Party's Mass Work Conference, and other important meetings, it has been repeatedly emphasized that trade unions should uphold the party's leadership and comprehensively and effectively implement the party's leadership in the entire process and all aspects of trade union work.
The general secretary's demand is the direction of action of the trade unions. The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels have always regarded upholding the party's leadership as the highest political principle and fundamental political requirement. Unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to forge the soul, connect it with the study and implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the work of the working class and trade unions, and combine it with the study and implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech when he talked with the members of the new leadership group of the ACFTU in 2023, strictly implement the "first topic" system of the Party Group Meeting and the biweekly study system of the Party Group Theory Study Center Group, and carry out in-depth study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Large-scale training, planning and promoting the public publication of "Xi Jinping's Excerpts on the Work of the Working Class and Trade Unions", organizing theoretical seminars, symposiums, etc., continuing to deepen the study, research and interpretation of the General Secretary's important expositions, and ensuring political firmness with theoretical sobriety. Resolutely implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, the Party Secretary performs the duties of the first responsible person for the implementation, and other team members are responsible for the division of labor, insist on listening to the work report of the department in charge at least once a week, timely convey and study the spirit of the General Secretary's important speeches and instructions, establish a mechanism for the implementation of the whole chain of research and deployment, task decomposition, responsibility implementation, tracking and supervision, and earnestly grasp the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee one by one. Conscientiously fulfill the political responsibility of guiding the broad masses of workers to listen to the party and follow the party, carry out national employee speech contests, knowledge competitions, reading and recitation, model workers and craftsmen entering the campus, etc., and promote Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China into enterprises, workshops, and teams, and guide the broad masses of workers to continue to enhance their political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identity with the party's innovative theories, and more firmly and consciously loyal to the core, support the core, maintain the core, and defend the core.
- The picture shows that on October 9, 2023, the 18th National Congress of Chinese Trade Unions opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cai Yang
On the new journey, we must consolidate, expand, study and implement the educational achievements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the work of the working class and trade unions, deepen theoretical arming and party spirit education, continuously improve political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution, deeply understand the decisive significance of the "two establishments", enhance the "four consciousnesses", strengthen the "four self-confidences", and achieve the "two safeguards". Always take the implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and the decision-making and deployment of the Party Central Committee as the top priority, further improve the system and mechanism of communication and learning, task implementation, supervision and inspection, and work notification, and keep up with General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee in all current affairs, conscientiously benchmark against the table, and often correct deviations. Implement the ideological and political leadership construction project of the masses of workers, organize the majority of employees to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era through various forms, promote the party's innovative theories to approach the employees and enter the hearts of employees, and lay a solid common ideological foundation for unity and struggle.
Organize and mobilize hundreds of millions of workers to forge ahead on a new journey
The working class is the leading class on the mainland, the representative of the advanced productive forces and production relations, the most solid and reliable class foundation of our party, and the main force in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in the face of profound changes in the domestic and international environment and in the face of arduous and arduous tasks of reform, development and stability, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has closely relied on the working class and the broad working masses to unite and lead the working class and the broad working masses to actively participate in the great practice of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, and the cause of the Party and the country has made historic achievements and undergone historic changes. As the leader of national rejuvenation, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always implemented the fundamental policy of relying on the working class wholeheartedly, and has always emphasized the need to play the role of the main force of the working class. On April 27, 2022, a grand event hosted by the ACFTU to pay tribute to model workers and craftsmen, exchange innovative achievements, and improve the skills and quality of employees - the first Great Power Craftsman Innovation Exchange Conference was grandly opened. General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a special congratulatory letter, placing ardent expectations on the working class and the broad masses of laborers, emphasizing that "the team of skilled workers is an important force to support China's manufacturing and creation", and "Party committees and governments at all levels should deepen the reform of the construction of the industrial worker team, attach importance to giving full play to the role of the team of skilled workers, and make their innovative talents fully flow". On October 17, 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. From this point of view, it is indispensable to rely closely on the working class, which represents the advanced productive forces. On March 5, 2024, at the deliberation site of the Jiangsu delegation at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, after listening carefully to the speech of Sun Jingnan, a famous technical expert and welder of CRRC, the general secretary praised, "The craftsmen of a great country are the cornerstone and pillars of our Chinese national building." When talking about the development achievements of the mainland's transportation industry, the general secretary sighed, "It is very important to be craftsmen. It is not enough to design the drawings well, and finally it must be implemented in the hands of the welders", "It is necessary to establish the spirit of craftsmen and train the craftsmen of the major countries on the front line one by one." It's the pillar."
- The 2024 celebration of the "May Day" International Labor Day and the National May Day Labor Award and the National Worker Pioneer Commendation Conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 28. 255 collectives and 1,088 individuals were awarded the National May Day Labor Award and medals, and 1,034 collectives were awarded the National Worker Pioneer. The picture shows some collective representatives who won the National May Day Labor Award at the conference. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cai Yang
The deep concern of the general secretary is not only a great encouragement for hundreds of millions of workers to work hard, strive for first-class, and bravely scale new heights, but also a powerful spur for the trade unions to better undertake the historical responsibility of uniting and mobilizing the majority of workers to make contributions in the new era. The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels firmly grasp the theme and direction of the workers' movement and trade union work in the mainland, based on the implementation of the new development concept, the construction of a new development pattern, and the promotion of high-quality development, focusing on major national strategies, major projects, major projects, and key industries, and carry out extensive, in-depth and sustained labor and skills competitions, and carry out a total of 127 national leading labor and skills competition projects during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. In 2023, 7.777 million rationalization suggestions were put forward by employees of established trade union units across the country, 575,000 technological innovation projects were carried out, and 304,000 inventions and creations were obtained. Vigorously carry forward the spirit of model workers, the spirit of labor, and the spirit of craftsmen, carry out publicity and education on the theme of "Chinese Dream and Labor Beauty", hold the Great Craftsman Innovation Exchange Conference and the Great Craftsman Forum, select the "Great Craftsman of the Year" and "The Most Beautiful Worker", etc., guide employees to strive to be advanced and first-class, and create a good atmosphere for the whole society to respect labor, knowledge, talents, and creation. Deepen the reform of the construction of the industrial worker team, focus on the implementation of key reform tasks such as ideological guidance, meritorious service, quality improvement, status improvement, and team expansion, organize the drafting of opinions on deepening the construction and reform of the industrial worker team, and strive to promote the solution of outstanding problems in the salary and treatment, skill formation, promotion and use of industrial workers, and effectively encourage the majority of industrial workers to devote themselves to construction, improve skills, and actively innovate. Strengthen the skills training of employees, improve the "Skill Power - National Industrial Workers Learning Community", build a combination of offline and online craftsman college cultivation system, carry out the establishment of model worker craftsman innovation studios and inter-enterprise model worker craftsman innovation studio alliance activities, and cultivate more craftsmen and high-skilled talents in major countries.
- The picture shows workers in the Inner Mongolia section of the Zhangbei-Shengli 1000 kV UHV transmission AC project project on April 17, 2024 (drone photo). Xinhua News Agency issued by Wang Zheng/photo
On the new journey, we should focus on accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces, study and formulate a trade union action plan for the development of new quality productivity, focus on promoting new industrialization, developing emerging industries and digital economy, and thoroughly implement the construction project of innovation and creation of the masses of workers. We will continue to carry out the special action of "Model Workers and Craftsmen to Help Enterprises", research and develop general-purpose "AI+" tools for trade unions to help employees innovate and create, and actively help employees to base themselves on their own duties and innovate and create. Continue to promote the construction of the industrial worker team, guide and urge enterprises to play a good role as the main body, take more effective measures in promoting the smooth development channels of industrial workers, and tilt the distribution to front-line industrial workers and skilled workers, pay attention to experience summary and application promotion, and regularly release typical cases, so as to achieve a point-to-area and radiate the overall situation.
Safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of employees and serve the masses of employees wholeheartedly
Wholeheartedly seeking the interests of the working class and the broad masses of laborers is the fundamental requirement of the socialist system on the mainland, the sacred duty of the party and the state, and the most important and basic task for bringing into play the role of the working class and the broad masses of laborers on the mainland. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always been concerned about the safety and well-being of the working class and the broad masses of laborers, emphasizing that the Communist Party of China has always represented the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people, shared weal and woe with the people, and depended on them for life and death. Trade unions should regard wholeheartedly serving the masses of workers as the starting point and end goal of all their work, and serve the broad masses of workers wholeheartedly. The general secretary's concern for the working class and the broad masses of laborers has been all over the country, and his figure is always among the masses of workers. On February 1, 2019, three days before the Chinese New Year's Eve of the Lunar New Year, the general secretary visited the grassroots cadres and masses in Beijing, he temporarily got off the bus and came to the express service point in Qianmen Stone Hutong, walked to the courier brother in a few steps, shook hands with them, and gave them New Year greetings, praising the courier brother for "getting up early and greedy, rain or shine, the more holidays, the busier he is, like a hard-working little bee, the hardest worker." On September 17, 2020, the general secretary presided over a symposium of grassroots representatives in Changsha, Hunan, where village party secretaries, rural teachers, poverty alleviation cadres, migrant workers, large grain growers, truck drivers, courier boys, restaurant owners, and legal workers ...... Thirty grassroots deputies gathered together, and the general secretary exchanged views with each of the deputies who spoke, pointing out that "we must attach importance to the problems of a period and the difficulties of a group and solve them continuously." On November 29, 2023, the general secretary came to the home of the new era city builder managers in Minhang District, Shanghai, which focuses on solving the problem of "far, expensive and difficult" renting houses for workers in Shanghai, focusing on the targeted supply of rental housing and beds and related supporting services to front-line workers in construction and sanitation, greening, express delivery and other industries. After learning about everyone's situation and plans, the general secretary smiled and said, "You are also the builders and contributors of Shanghai, so Shanghai should also care about you" and "ensure that the migrant population can enter, stay, live in peace, and succeed."
The general secretary's concern is where the focus of the trade union's work lies. The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels adhere to the employee-centered work orientation, improve and improve the "inclusive + special" employee rights and interests protection and service system, and strive to provide accurate and considerate services for hundreds of millions of employees. We have given full play to the role of the online employment service platform of the national trade union, providing more than 1.5 million jobs in total. Strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment, promote platform enterprises to legally regulate employment, scientifically adjust algorithms, improve labor quota standards, and establish consultation mechanisms and sign collective contracts for leading platform enterprises, covering 2.3 million couriers, 3 million food delivery workers, and 3.8 million online ride-hailing drivers. Organize the national trade union system to jointly carry out special winter activities to solve employees' wage arrears, establish and improve the system of weekly reports on wage arrears and the release of typical cases of wage arrears, so that "all clues are fully handled". Widely carry out collective bargaining "offer actions", jointly issue opinions on promoting the creation of harmonious labor relations in the new era with relevant ministries and commissions, jointly convene the first national commendation and experience exchange meeting for advanced collectives and advanced individuals in the creation of harmonious labor relations, cultivate and promote the first batch of grassroots labor relations public service model sites, and promote the construction of harmonious labor relations. The 12351 trade union service hotline has been fully established and operated, and a "fast channel" has been opened to solve employee problems in a timely and efficient manner. Organize and implement the "Double 15 Project" (by the end of 2023, the number of trade union stations nationwide will reach 150,000, and the cross-coverage of the 15-minute service circle of trade union post stations will be basically realized in major cities and key areas of cities across the country), and by the end of 2023, 184,200 trade union post stations have been built, with an annual service of more than 1 billion person-times. Organize and carry out the "Warm Border Green Environment" special action to care for employees, and the "Trade Union Accompany You Yilu Walk" action to care for truck drivers, and build more than 1,800 "driver's homes".
On the new journey, we must further intensify our work and strive to promote the solution of labor employment, income distribution, skills training, social security, safety and health and other issues of general concern to employees. Solidly carry out a three-year action to protect the rights of workers in new forms of employment, focusing on the establishment of trade unions, collective bargaining, signing of collective contracts, and timely mediation of labor disputes by trade unions, so as to effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment. We will continue to do a good job in traditional services such as sending warmth and coolness, providing students with golden autumn assistance, mutual medical assistance for employees, and trade union legal aid, and actively carry out the "New Double 15 Project" of trade union post stations (pushing 15% of trade union post stations to become the most beautiful trade union post stations, and building 15% of trade union post stations to upgrade to 24-hour intelligent post stations), so as to provide more accessible and convenient services for outdoor workers. Manage and make good use of the 12351 trade union service hotline for employees, and strive to build the hotline into an important window and platform that reflects the interests of employees, provides clues about the risks and hidden dangers of labor relations contradictions, and promotes the resolution of employees' practical difficulties. Consolidate and expand the achievements of the work of relieving and extricating urban workers from difficulties, improve the dynamic monitoring mechanism to prevent the return of difficulties, discover problems in a timely manner and effectively promote their solutions, and resolutely maintain the bottom line of not returning to difficulties on a large scale.
Deepen the reform and construction of trade unions, and promote the improvement of the quality and efficiency of trade union work
Reform and innovation are an inexhaustible driving force for the development of the cause of the Party and the country, and an important driving force for the high-quality development of trade union work. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, promoting the reform and construction of mass organizations, including trade unions, has always been an important focus of General Secretary Xi Jinping's planning and layout to comprehensively deepen reform. On April 28, 2013, the general secretary put forward a major proposition on the development and innovation of trade union work during the symposium between the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and the representatives of national model workers, emphasizing that the times are developing, the cause is innovating, and the trade union work should also develop and innovate. On July 6, 2015, he presided over the first Central Party Mass Work Conference, emphasizing that to strengthen and improve the Party's mass work under the new situation, the most important thing is to maintain and enhance the political, advanced and mass nature. On November 9, 2015, he presided over the 18th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, which deliberated and approved the "Pilot Plan for the Reform of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions", and made important instructions and clear requirements for promoting the reform of the party's mass organizations. In August 2017, important instructions were given on the reform of mass organizations, emphasizing that the party's mass work is a very important work of the party, and that mass reform is an important task for comprehensively deepening reform. On October 16, 2022, in the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, it was clearly stated that it is necessary to deepen the reform and construction of mass organizations such as trade unions, the Communist Youth League, and the Women's Federation, and effectively play the role of bridges.
- On December 23, 2023, medical staff are providing health check-up services for outdoor workers at the "Employee Health Station" in Zhangban Town, Taiwanese Investment Zone, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. Courtesy of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions
The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels have kept in mind the entrustment of the general secretary, profoundly grasped the requirements of the times for deepening the reform and construction of trade unions, closely focused on maintaining and enhancing the political, advanced and mass nature, and vigorously improved the total efficiency and total capacity of trade unions with the construction of "service-oriented, systematic, branded, innovative and digital intelligence". Strengthen the internal management of the ACFTU organs, establish a system of regular weekly meetings of the ACFTU Party group and a system of weekly inspection and arrangement of major work at the first and second levels, improve the annual work plan of the ACFTU, the inspection and evaluation mechanism of the monthly work plan of each department, and the weekly work cycle mechanism, so as to improve the work planning, departmental coordination and timeliness of implementation. Strengthen the guidance and coordination of local trade unions, especially the provincial federation of trade unions, and vigorously promote the integration and coordination of the organs of the ACFTU, local trade unions, and grassroots trade unions. Establish a clear work orientation of grasping the grassroots, deepen the special work of the "county-level trade union strengthening year", strengthen the construction of community and park trade union federations and "small three-level" trade unions, and strive to solve the problem of "lack of personnel, lack of money, and lack of positions" of grassroots trade unions. Establish a normalized communication and coordination mechanism between the ACFTU and provincial trade unions and head platform enterprises, realize the establishment of trade unions in the headquarters of all head platform enterprises, and establish a workers' congress system in 9 companies, with 3.8 million new development and new employment forms of worker members in 2023. Focusing on the construction of the online working platform and basic database of the trade union, the all-weather inclusive service for employees, and the construction of a new media matrix, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions has launched the action of widely applying artificial intelligence to empower the work of the trade union with digitalization and intelligence.
On the new journey, we must actively adapt to the development and changes of the times and the workforce, with the goal of building a trade union work system with extensive contacts and serving employees, strengthening the unity and education of trade unions, safeguarding rights and interests, and serving the functions of workers, strengthening the systematic planning of trade union reform and construction, and focusing on making up for shortcomings, strengths and weaknesses, laying a foundation and increasing vitality. With the three-year action for the construction of trade unions in non-public enterprises and the three-year action for the construction of "small three-level" trade unions as the starting point, efforts should be made to expand the coverage of trade union organizations, intensify work in new areas such as new economic organizations, new social organizations, and new employment groups, and organize the broad masses of workers into trade unions to the greatest extent. Comprehensively implement the digital and intelligent construction project of trade unions, focus on the diverse needs and urgent problems of hundreds of millions of workers in the field of trade unions, and create smart service terminals that directly reach hundreds of millions of workers and integrate all the service content of trade unions at all levels. Improve and improve the guidance and service mechanism for the work of grassroots trade unions, implement the system of contacting grassroots points with comrades of the Party group and the Secretariat, do a good job in receiving visits from the masses every month by the comrades of the Party Group and the Secretariat, answering the 12351 trade union service hotline every month, and regularly visiting the trade union post station, etc., and continue to deepen the work of cadres of the ACFTU organs to go to the head platform enterprises and the cadres of trade union organs to go to the grassroots level, so as to close the flesh-and-blood ties with the masses of workers.
Strive to sail a new era and break the waves on a new journey. The ACFTU and trade unions at all levels will closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the work of the working class and trade unions, especially the spirit of the important speech made when talking with the members of the new leadership group of the ACFTU, be down-to-earth, realistic and pragmatic, forge ahead with determination and solid work, unite and mobilize the majority of workers to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country with Chinese-style modernization, Write a new chapter in the great practice of national rejuvenation!
Source: "Seeking Truth" 2024/09
Author: Party Group of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions of the Communist Party of China