Trade union
Viet Nam’s trade unions set to reform for future industrial relations trends
Some local affiliated unions of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour have already made innovative attempts to organize workers and bargain collectively with employers in a new ‘bottom-up’ and worker centred manner.
HAI PHONG (ILO News) – The Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) is planning to renovate itself in the coming years to become a real organization representing the voice of workers in response to challenges of international integration, heard a meeting organized in Hai Phong on 10-11 May.
The VGCL Information Sharing and Co-operation Meeting took place at a critical time when a significant reform in industrial relations is being planned in Viet Nam in the context of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement. Under the free trade deals, Viet Nam is expected to significantly improve its labour relations system in full respect of the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, with a particular focus on freedom of association and right to bargain collectively.
Some local affiliated unions of the VGCL have already made innovative attempts to organize workers and bargain collectively with employers in a new ‘bottom-up’ and worker centred manner, a major departure from the past top-down way.
The new approaches have been assisted by international partners, including the Global Union Federations (GUF) and Trade Union Solidarity Support Organisations (TUSSOs) as VGCL continues and expand its efforts to meet the needs of workers in the new market economy environment.
As part of the VGCL’s reform agenda, a new framework for collaboration between the participating organizations was discussed, in anticipation of the new industrial relations that comply with the ILO principles on freedom of association.
The VGCL and its international partners agreed in principle to adopt a joint platform on partnership for trade union development cooperation in Viet Nam in the near future, subject to final deliberation of all parties to the final text.
This joint platform, once endorsed, will provide a set of common principles guiding collaboration between international supporting organizations, VGCL and new labour unions, once they come into life under the TPP, in full consideration of the national context and international obligations of Viet Nam as a member state of the ILO.
The VGCL’s 6th Information Sharing and Cooperation Meeting attracted more than 70 representatives from the VGCL, GUF and TUSSOs, including the ILO. This meeting takes place every two years since 2006 to exchange information among the VGCL and its international cooperation partners and to coordinate activities to achieve best results to support the protection and promotion of workers’ rights in Viet Nam.
The VGCL Information Sharing and Co-operation Meeting took place at a critical time when a significant reform in industrial relations is being planned in Viet Nam in the context of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement. Under the free trade deals, Viet Nam is expected to significantly improve its labour relations system in full respect of the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, with a particular focus on freedom of association and right to bargain collectively.
Some local affiliated unions of the VGCL have already made innovative attempts to organize workers and bargain collectively with employers in a new ‘bottom-up’ and worker centred manner, a major departure from the past top-down way.
The new approaches have been assisted by international partners, including the Global Union Federations (GUF) and Trade Union Solidarity Support Organisations (TUSSOs) as VGCL continues and expand its efforts to meet the needs of workers in the new market economy environment.
As part of the VGCL’s reform agenda, a new framework for collaboration between the participating organizations was discussed, in anticipation of the new industrial relations that comply with the ILO principles on freedom of association.
The VGCL and its international partners agreed in principle to adopt a joint platform on partnership for trade union development cooperation in Viet Nam in the near future, subject to final deliberation of all parties to the final text.
This joint platform, once endorsed, will provide a set of common principles guiding collaboration between international supporting organizations, VGCL and new labour unions, once they come into life under the TPP, in full consideration of the national context and international obligations of Viet Nam as a member state of the ILO.
The VGCL’s 6th Information Sharing and Cooperation Meeting attracted more than 70 representatives from the VGCL, GUF and TUSSOs, including the ILO. This meeting takes place every two years since 2006 to exchange information among the VGCL and its international cooperation partners and to coordinate activities to achieve best results to support the protection and promotion of workers’ rights in Viet Nam.