Press and integration

Media plays critical role in ensuring fair gains of economic growth

A media workshop is organized to help Vietnamese labour journalists gain in-depth knowledge on industrial relations issues in economic integration.

News | 14 September 2017
HANOI (ILO News) – Twenty journalists from the north and the south gathered in Hanoi on 11-12 September to discuss plans to improve the quality and quantity of coverage on industrial relations in the context of economic integration in Vietnamese media.

They also had the opportunity to learn about the link between the new generation of free trade deals (FTAs), including the one between the EU and Viet Nam (EVFTA), and industrial relations issues and fundamental principles and rights at work.

The Media workshop on EVFTA and Industrial Relations was organized within the cooperation framework between the Viet Nam Journalists Association and the ILO in Viet Nam in order to improve the capacity of journalists in covering these important areas.

The bilateral negotiations between Viet Nam and the EU on the new trade deal concluded in December 2015. It will come into force in 2018 if ratified by both sides.

Like other new free trade deals, the EVFTA contains important provisions to safeguard labour rights and environment in its Trade and Sustainability Development Chapter. In this particular chapter, the EU and Viet Nam reaffirm their commitment, in accordance with obligations as ILO members and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, to respect, promote and effectively implement the principles on freedom of association; the right to collective bargaining; and the elimination of forced labour, child labour and discrimination in employment and occupation.

“These are the universal rights every citizen should enjoy, regardless of the level of economic development,” said ILO Viet Nam Director Chang-Hee Lee. “These are the rights enabling labour market actors to share gains of economic growth, laying a firm foundation for inclusive and sustainable growth with social justice.”

“And the media plays a critical role in realizing such “fair gains””, he added.

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* Funding for the New Industrial Relations Framework project is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL- 29690-16-75-K-11. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government. One hundred percentage of the total costs of the project or program is financed with Federal funds, for a total of 4 million dollars.