Description
The overall development goal is the improvement of the living conditions of workers in Vietnam. The modernization of VGCL into a strong trade union defending the members’ rights is not yet complete. The project aims at capacity building, i.e. training more trade union leaders in various issues related to union policy and organizing. Organizing unions still remain as an essential goal since the VGCL Congress aims to reach 10 million membership by 2018 with at least 90% of all workplace unions. Collective bargaining centrally and locally is important in this project. An initiative on improving bargaining and negotiation skills as well as improving the contents of CBA was launched in 2014, so this will be followed up in the project period. By 2018 the VGCL Congress targeted that 65% of all non-state sector enterprises have collective bargaining agreements. The project will also focus on gender equality in the trade unions and the workplace.

Objectives
*Ensure Membership Growth through organizing and recruitment: Ensure that 2 million new union members are recruited in the period of project cycle (baseline: a total of 8.243.765 union members as of 2013) *Undertake training and capacity building 75 percent of full-time union officials, and at least 70 percent of the part-time union officials participate in the training, re-training and education on both unionism and skills for trade union works
*Undertake training and capacity building: 75 percent of full-time union officials, and at least 70 percent of the part-time union officials participate in the training, re-training and education on both unionism and skills for trade union works*Improve Collective Bargaining and Negotiation Skill: 100 percent of state-owned and at least 65 percent of non-state owned and foreign invested enterprises have collective bargaining agreements. CBA quality is improved, quantity is increased and a monitoring & evaluation system in place *Women workers’ rights are better ensured: Women leadership in the VGCL Presidium is maintained at 25 percent and 30 percent in the Executive Committees of various levels. -100 percent of the key leaders and women trade union officials participate in trainings on gender equality and integration of gender equality in the trade union activities

Type of activities
1. Seminars and Workshops = monitoring and evaluation workshops on capacities of trained organizers; opportunities and challenges of FTAs; measures and responses of trade unions on impacts of FTA 2. Training = on organizing skills using bottom up approach; , Training of Trainers (basic and advance); Leadership Training for Women, Enforcement of OSH Law, training of leaders in food sector; training on conducting elections 3. Research = on minimum wage; survey on conditions of agency workers in Vietnam 4. Field Activities= in organizing work, practicum for trainers; 5. Publications= Leaflets for organizing campaign

Results achieved
1. Recruited new members = 1,808,287 out of 2 million targeted for project cycle
2. Trade Union Officials attended trainings = 1,333,743 part time and full time trade have attended trainings in past 3 years from a target of having at least 85% of all full time and 65% of all part-time trade union officials to participate and attend training courses.
3. Improvement in CBA Content = 100% improved in all SOEs, 66.27% in Non State Enterprises and 66.05% in FDI companies
4. Women in Leadership position was 28% in 2016 went down to 20% in 2017 in VGCL Presidium while 27% in 2016 and increased to 28% in 2017 in the Executive Committee. The Target is to maintain at last 25% in Presidium and 30% in Executive Committees