Labor relations improvement to integrate into international economy

​Total number of employees in organizations and businesses is 843,455 people (57,737 workers in state-owned enterprises, 328,894 employees in private enterprises; 456,824 people working in FDI enterprises). As of late 2013, there are 2,587 primary labor unions with 507,905 members, of which 1,138 primary labor unions in businesses with 450,000 members.

With the aim of helping workers to stabilize their lives, work, and carry out production activities in Dong Nai province, the authorities have so far granted permission for implementing 83 workers’ housing projects in a total area of 688.86 ha.  Of which, 44 projects are conducted by real estate enterprises and 39 projects are carried out private businesses. 28 projects (equivalent to 34%), which have completed and put into use can accommodate 25,000 people (equaling to 9% of workers in need of shelter). Except some companies actively build housing for workers such as Phong Thai Group, VMEP Company, Formosa Company, etc. The slow implementation progress of projects only insignificantly satisfies workers’ housing demand. 

Up to now, 597 businesses have registered for collective labor agreements, including 378 out of 1,046 FDI enterprises (601 FDI ones have grassroots trade unions); 143 out of 143 state-owned enterprises and 273 out of 17,374 enterprises in other economic sectors. Therefore, there are few businesses to sign collective labor agreements compared to the total number of operational businesses.

The scheme set targets that by 2020, labor relations system is coherently designed and operated to suit with market mechanism and state’s management, to ensure legitimate rights and benefits of the parties in labor relations, to provide foundation for maintaining and developing labor relations that are harmonious, firm and progressive for the next years. In the period from 2014 to 2016, in addition to implementation of statutory regulations on labor relations, a focus should be placed over conducting effective pilot activities for putting main contents of labor relations in practice so that operational mechanism of activities in labor relations can be consolidated in accordance with market mechanism. Besides that, communication activities should be concentrated to raise social awareness about labor relations; to keep employers and employees well-informed of industrial relations, labor law, basic international labor standard, international commitment on labor in which Vietnam is a member, businesses’ responsibilities to society, etc. As a result, related parties will display acceptable behavior in labor relations, and the society will be conscious of these issues, and their opinions can be shaped for labor relations development and international integration. 

Reported by Q. Tram​