Dong Ha, Quang Tri ( July 15, 2016) — On Friday, 12 July 2019, Project RENEW/NPA member-based Labor Union held its first Congress for 2019-2024 at Sai Gon – Dong Ha Hotel, one year after its establishment by a decision of Quang Tri Department of Foreign Affairs Labor Union.
Joining with 219 delegates of RENEW/NPA Labor Union were Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tra, Member of the Quang Tri Province Labor Confederation’s Standing Committee, Head of Public Servant Labor Union, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quang, Party Cell Chief, Deputy Director of Quang Tri DOFA, Mr. Nguyen Dinh An, Deputy Chairman of DOFA Labor Union, Mr. Jan Erik Stoa, NPA Vietnam Country Director, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bien, NPA Vietnam Admin/Human Resource Manager and Mr. Nguyen Hieu Trung, Project RENEW Coordination Manager.
The Congress attendants discussed and reviewed the operational report in the period 2018-2019 and orientations and operational plan for the period 2019-2024. Though newly established, the Project RENEW/NPA Labor Union’s Provisional Executive Board for the past year has organized many activities to take care of spiritual welfare of its members and workers, building solidarity and promoting a sense of responsibility in performing professional tasks. “The Labor Union has created confidence and motivation for the staff who work under a harsh and dangerous working environment,” expressed Union member Truong Cong Vu, Leader of the Technical Survey Team No. 1.
Speaking at the Congress, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quang, Party Cell Chief and Deputy Director of DOFA appreciated the role of the Provisional Executive Board and activities of Project RENE /NPA Labor Union in the previous term. He urged the Labor Union members to be wise to elect delegates with ethical qualities, working capacity, enthusiasm for Labor Union affairs to serve in the new Executive Committee.
Country Director of NPA Vietnam Jan Erik Stoa congratulated the Labor Union on successfully organizing the Congress and expressed NPA’s commitment to creating the best conditions for employees at Project RENEW. He proposed that through the Labor Union, NPA Vietnam would receive feedback from its employees.
Project RENEW Coordinator Nguyen Hieu Trung expressed his gratitude to NPA and Irish Aid for their contributions to the Project RENEW/NPA Labor Union. Trung requested superior Labor Unions give more support to the RENEW/NPA chapter.
After three hours of the convention, Congress delegates elected nine delegates, including five women, who represent Survey and Clearance, Victim Assistance/Disability Support, Mine Risk Education programs, and the Coordination Office, for the Executive Board.
On behalf of the members of the Executive Board, RENEW/NPA Labor Union Chairman Ngo Xuan Hien thanked the Congress delegates and promised to work for solidarity and promotion of Labor Union affairs.
Project RENEW was established in 2001 as a joint effort between the government of Quang Tri Province and interested INGOs to “restore the environment and neutralize the effects of the war” – with the main focus on unexploded ordinance.
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) is one of the leading organizations worldwide in humanitarian disarmament. NPA has worked in Vietnam since 2008 following the signing of an MOU with the government of Quang Tri People’s Committee to support the development of Project RENEW’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) capacity. NPA’s operational footprint now covers all of Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue Provinces, with an increase of assets to four Battle Area Clearance teams, one Non-Technical Survey team, four EOD teams, and 25 Technical Survey teams.
