Renewing cultural movements to improve workers’ quality of life

Deputy Chairwoman of the Dong Nai City Labor Federation Bui Thi Bich Thuy. Photo: Nguyen Hoa

Dong Nai is one of Vietnam’s major industrial production centers, home to dozens of industrial parks and a large workforce. The rapid development of factories and enterprises has contributed significantly to local economic growth while also creating an urgent need to improve the spiritual and cultural life of workers.

The development of cultural institutions serving workers carries important social welfare significance and is considered a key solution for building a sustainable labor environment. Speaking with Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television, Bui Thi Bich Thuy, Deputy Chairwoman of the Dong Nai City Labor Federation (DNLF), said that in order to meet workers’ cultural and entertainment demands, maximizing the effectiveness of existing facilities is extremely important. At the same time, cultural movements need to be renewed to become more attractive and improve workers’ quality of life.

Dong Nai is home to a large number of workers whose cultural demands are increasingly diverse. What notable activities has the labor union implemented to improve workers’ spiritual lives?

Dong Nai is among the country’s leading industrial localities. The city currently has 89 planned industrial parks covering more than 36,728 hectares and attracting over 1.5 million workers, of whom more than 60% come from other provinces.

However, living and accommodation conditions for many workers remain difficult. Most workers rent boarding houses near industrial parks for convenience in commuting, while only a small number of enterprises are able to arrange collective housing for employees. Meanwhile, workers still have limited access to recreational and community activities, which can negatively affect their quality of life..

To improve workers’ spiritual well-being, the trade union organization will continue focusing on enhancing the quality of cultural institutions while increasing investment in cultural and sports activities suited to workers’ actual needs. When their spiritual life is better cared for, workers can feel more secure in their jobs, stay committed to their employers and contribute to the locality’s socio-economic development.

Facing this reality, trade unions at all levels have proactively launched diverse and practical cultural, artistic and sports activities aimed directly at workers at the grassroots level. In recent years, many meaningful programs and recreational activities have been maintained regularly, including the Lunar New Year (Tet) Reunion Program, Workers’ Month, Workers’ Festival – Compassion Market, the “Cultural Standard Enterprise” Festival and Workers’ Gathering Points.

Through these activities, workers not only gain more opportunities for relaxation after working hours but also strengthen social connections and community ties, thereby contributing to a more united labor environment within industrial parks.

How have cultural movements been renewed to better meet workers’ needs and deliver more practical results?

As the number of workers continues to increase, demands for cultural and spiritual enjoyment have gone beyond simply “having activities” to requiring activities that are practical, suitable and appealing. In response, cultural and artistic activities for workers have been redesigned in both content and delivery methods to better reflect workers’ daily lives.

Many programs are now designed following the approach of “workers participate – workers enjoy – workers express themselves,” thereby creating greater initiative and stronger engagement in each activity. Workers are able to directly compete, interact, create and showcase their talents. This helps strengthen community bonds, create excitement and spread positive energy within the workplace.

To effectively implement Directive No. 52-CT/TW of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party’s leadership in improving the cultural and spiritual lives of workers in industrial and export-processing zones, the DNLF has surveyed workers’ living conditions and cultural needs across local industrial parks. Based on the findings, the federation has developed solutions suited to local realities. In addition, the federation has coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organize cultural, artistic and sports activities, along with various programs aimed at improving cultural life within industrial parks.

Alongside these movements, how effectively are current cultural institutions meeting workers’ entertainment needs?

At present, Dong Nai City has three cultural institutions within industrial parks directly managed and operated by the DNLF to serve union members and workers.

Among them, the multi-purpose gymnasium on Road 19 in Bien Hoa 2 Industrial Park is a venue that regularly hosts large-scale cultural and sports events. In addition, the Dong Nai City Trade Union Cultural and Sports Center in Chon Thanh ward includes a main building, a multi-purpose gymnasium, two football fields, two swimming pools, four table tennis tables and many supporting functional areas serving workers and union members.

A musical performance staged by workers from Pou Sung Vietnam Co., Ltd. at the 2026 Health Day for Workers. Photo: Nguyen Hoa

Meanwhile, Dong Xoai I Industrial Park has two football fields and two swimming pools funded by the trade union budget. Many enterprises have also invested in cultural and sports facilities for workers, such as the cultural and sports complex at Pou Sung Vietnam Co., Ltd. in An Vien commune; the workers’ entertainment area at Pouchen Vietnam Enterprise Ltd in Bien Hoa ward; the workers’ family activity area at ChangShin Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Tan Trieu ward; and the multi-purpose sports ground of the Phong Thai Group in Binh Minh commune.

These cultural institutions have partly met workers’ entertainment needs. Nevertheless, industrial parks are spread across a wide area, while the trade union’s cultural system remains limited in scale and activity types, meaning services currently reach only a portion of workers in certain areas. In addition, many workers still face financial difficulties and heavy workloads, resulting in limited opportunities to enjoy cultural and spiritual activities.

How will cultural institutions for workers be developed in the future, and what kind of support do trade unions expect from enterprises to help improve workers’ spiritual well-being?

Under current conditions, facilities remain limited and there are not yet enough specialized staff to directly organize cultural, artistic and sports activities for workers. As a result, outcomes remain modest compared to actual demand.

At times, activity content is still repetitive and lacks sufficient appeal to attract large numbers of workers, leading to relatively low participation rates. Moreover, some activities have not been organized promptly, systematically or in close coordination with one another.

To better meet workers’ cultural and recreational needs, making full use of existing facilities is essential. This includes introducing clear operating mechanisms, mapping out long-term investment plans, and synchronously expanding cultural infrastructure both citywide and in areas with large concentrations of industrial parks. This will create better conditions for more diverse cultural and sports activities for workers.

As for enterprises, especially those employing large numbers of workers, they should coordinate with trade unions and create the best possible conditions for employees to participate in cultural and sports activities organized by trade unions.

At the same time, enterprises should consider allocating resources to develop on-site support facilities for workers. This would help improve living and resting conditions, thereby enhancing labor productivity and the quality of human resources within enterprises.

By N. Hoa – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha