Improving the Representative Role of Trade Unions and Employers in the New Industrial Relation Framework (NIRF/Japan Project)

The Project's overall goal is to build the legal and institutional foundations for a new industrial relations framework based on 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, with a special focus on Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and Convention 98 on Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, and in full consideration of national contexts effectively established in Viet Nam.

Partners
  • Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL),provincial federations of labour and grassroots trade unions in pilot localities, network of trade unions in industrial zones, and network of trade union legal experts;
  • Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), VCCI branches in pilot localities and target business associations;
  • Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) in pilot provinces; Related committees of the National Assembly;
Beneficiaries
  • Social partners’ organizations (VGCL and VCCI);
  • Union organizers and negotiators at grassroots and upper level;
  • Employers and business representatives in various segments of global supply chains;
  • Officials in the labour administration (MOLISA and DOLISA) at central and provincial levels;
  • Law-makers;

Geographical focus
Selected industrialized provinces in across Viet Nam, including Hai Phong, HCM City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Long An, Quang Nam and Da Nang

Project context

Viet Nam is entering new era of global economic integration which requires adjustment of not only economic and trade policies, but also social and labour policies for sustainable and inclusive growth with social justice at global and national level.

As a member of the ILO since 1992, Viet Nam has committed itself to respect and promote the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW). The country has ratified a number of ILO Conventions and undertaken progressive reforms and steady improvements in its law, policies and practices over the last 10 years.

The Government of Viet Nam has expressed its strong political commitment for institutional and legal reforms in its socio-economic development tasks for 2016-2020 as well as the Viet Nam Strategy for International Integration up to 2020 with the vision to 2030. This commitment is not only because of Viet Nam’s international obligations but more importantly, comes from its needs for industrial relations renovation to serve workers, employers and society in a market economy with deeper global integration.

Project objective

The Project's overall goal is to build the legal and institutional foundations for a new industrial relations framework based on ILO FPRW Declaration, with a special focus on Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and Convention 98 on Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, and in full consideration of national contexts effectively established in Viet Nam.

The Project’s mid-term objective is Workers’ and Employers’ representative functions reinforced under the new industrial relations framework contexts effectively established in Viet Nam.

The Project’s short-term objectives include:
  • Bi-partite and tripartite social dialogues are strengthened to improve industrial relations through sharing experiences and lessons learnt.
  • VGCL has increased engagement in law reform and activated renovations of trade unions organizational and operational structure for better performance.
  • Trade unions at all levels have enhanced capacity in organizing, collective bargaining and social dialogue though pilot initiatives.
  • VCCI and business associations have increased engagement in labour law reform and renovation plans.
  • Cooperation mechanism is enhanced between business community, and industrial relations is improved in pilot localities.

Project outcome/Main activities

  • Bipartite and tripartite cooperation is improved in pilot localities.
  • Good practices and lessons learnt from pilot localities are documented and widely shared for possible extension.
  • Recommendations from workers and employers for labour law reform are formulated and discussed with relevant partners.
  • Policy proposals for the renovation of trade unions are prepared, with a view to strengthening their role in representing workers.
  • Initiatives to strengthen capacity of trade unions to represent and protect their members are implemented in pilot localities.
  • A network of union champions in IZ/EPZ/Ezs is established and expanded to promote organizing unions and collective bargaining with bottom-up approach.
  • A network of trade union legal experts is set up, strengthened and functions.
  • Renovation plans are developed and implemented by VCCI and sectorial business associations to better represent and support their members in target pilot localities.
  • Employers’ and human resources managers’ networks have established and strengthened to better represent their members in pilot localities.
  • Employers and human resources managers’ capacity on industrial relations at workplace level is improved in selected pilot localities and sectors.

Contact information

Ta Thi Bich Lien
National Project Coordinator / Responsible officer for Project
Tel: +84 24 3734 0902 ext. 211
Email: bichlien@ilo.org

Nguyen Ba Lam
National Project Coordinator
Tel: +84 24 3734 0902 ext. 215
Email: lam@ilo.org