4. Xi meets trade union leaders

In collective conversation with members of new leadership team of All-China Federation of Trade Unions, Xi Jinping emphasizes that the Party should adhere to the overall leadership of trade unions and organize and mobilize hundreds of millions of workers to actively participate in the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 23 – Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, held a collective conversation with members of the new leadership team of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions in Zhongnanhai on the afternoon of the 23rd and delivered an important speech. Xi Jinping emphasized that my country’s labor movement developed under the leadership of the Party, and trade unions are mass organizations of the working class led by the Party. We must uphold the Party’s overall leadership over the trade unions and never waver or deviate from it at any time and under any circumstances. We must adhere to the fundamental policy of relying wholeheartedly on the working class, fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the broad masses of workers, and actively participate in the great cause of comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation.

Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, participated in the group conversation.

Xi Jinping first said that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, our country’s working class has played a main force in the development of the party and the country. The labor movement has made historic achievements, and trade union work has achieved all-round progress. In the past five years, the broad masses of employees have worked together with the Party and worked hard with the Party. In major tasks such as economic construction, scientific and technological innovation, poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, epidemic prevention and control, emergency rescue and disaster relief, they have demonstrated the courage to fight tough battles and shoulder heavy responsibilities. . The All-China Federation of Trade Unions and trade unions at all levels have strengthened the ideological and political guidance of employees, promoted the reform of building a team of industrial workers, protected the rights and interests of workers, maintained political security in the labor field, deepened the reform of the trade union system, and continuously enhanced its political, advanced and mass character. The Party Central Committee fully affirms the major contributions made to the working class and the new achievements made in trade union work. The Party Central Committee has placed high expectations on the new leadership team of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

Xi Jinping emphasized that upholding the party's leadership must be comprehensively and effectively implemented in the entire process and all aspects of trade union work. We must firmly safeguard the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and always maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in terms of ideology, politics, and actions. We must unswervingly use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to focus our minds and forge our souls, continue to promote theoretical arming to be more in-depth and practical, and continuously enhance our ideological consciousness and action consciousness in learning and practicing the Party's innovative theories. It is necessary to keep in mind the "big one in the country", identify the connection point, entry point, and focus of trade union work and the party's central tasks, and promote the implementation of the Party Central Committee's decisions and arrangements in the trade union system. It is necessary to strengthen ideological and political guidance, do a good job in ideological and political work among employees, educate and guide the majority of employees to unswervingly listen to and follow the Party, and ensure that the working class is always the most solid and reliable class foundation for our Party.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the broad masses of workers must be closely united around the party and work together to achieve the party's central tasks. It is necessary to focus on implementing new development concepts, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development, and carry out extensive and in-depth various forms of labor and skills competitions to stimulate the enthusiasm and creative potential of employees, and give full play to the main role in all walks of life and all fields. . It is necessary to vigorously promote the spirit of model workers, the spirit of labor, and the spirit of craftsmen, give full play to the role of model workers and craftsmen in demonstrating and leading, and encourage employees to achieve their dreams through hard work, honest work, and creative work. We must focus on the in-depth implementation of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through talent, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, deepen the reform of the construction of the industrial worker team, accelerate the construction of an army of knowledge-based, skill-based, and innovative industrial workers, and cultivate more craftsmen and high-skilled talents in the country. .

Xi Jinping emphasized that the working class and the broad masses of working people are the main creators of social wealth, and more obvious substantive progress in promoting the common prosperity of all people must first be reflected in hundreds of millions of workers. As the representatives and defenders of workers' interests, trade unions must conscientiously perform their basic duties of rights protection services, focus on solving practical problems related to the vital interests of workers, and attach great importance to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment. It is necessary to strengthen democratic management of enterprises and institutions, open channels for employees to express their demands, guide employees to safeguard their rights and interests in accordance with the law, and promote the establishment of harmonious labor relations.

Xi Jinping pointed out that we must continue to deepen the reform and construction of trade unions, firmly establish a clear direction of focusing on the grassroots, consolidate the grassroots foundation, stimulate grassroots vitality, and continuously enhance the leadership, organizational and service capabilities of grassroots trade unions. It is necessary to improve the existing organizational foundation and expand the coverage of trade union organizations. It is necessary to innovate working methods and strive to provide accurate and considerate services to employees. Trade union cadres must practice the party's mass line, conduct in-depth investigations and studies, promptly understand what employees think and expect, constantly enhance their ability to serve employees, and speak and act for employees sincerely. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions must take the lead in strengthening its own construction, set a benchmark and set an example, and become a model political organ that reassures the Party and satisfies the people.

Xi Jinping emphasized that party committees at all levels must strengthen leadership over trade unions and trade union work, select and equip strong trade union leadership teams, enthusiastically care for and strictly demand trade union cadres, and pay attention to the training and use of trade union cadres. We must pay attention to the role of trade union organizations, promptly study important issues encountered by employees and trade unions, and support trade unions in creative work. Governments at all levels should give full play to the role of joint meetings between the government and trade unions and actively help trade unions solve the practical difficulties and problems of employees.

On behalf of the new leadership team of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, Wang Dongming, Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, made a report on the situation related to the 18th National Congress of Trade Unions of China and the work arrangements of the trade union in the next five years. Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Xu Liuping, Yang Yudong and Gao Fenglin made speeches.

Shi Taifeng, Li Ganjie, Li Shulei, Chen Wenqing, Liu Jinguo and Wang Xiaohong participated in the conversation.