Building sound industrial relations

VietNamNet Bridge - In the current global economic crisis, if workers share the burden of responsibility with their employers and vice versa, every problem can be properly resolved.

A national conference on industrial relations opened in Hanoi on March 12, under the theme “Sound Industrial Relations: A Key to Surviving the Global Economic Crisis and Building for Vietnam’s Future”.

The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, drawing participants from the national level and eleven provinces who have worked with the ILO/Industrial Relations Project, as well as representatives from UN agencies, NGOs and foreign embassies in Hanoi.

Huge challenges ahead

According to ILO, around 2.3 million people will be unemployed in the Asia-Pacific region in 2009 due to negative impacts caused by the current global economic crisis, accounting for about 6 percent of the total labour force.

The rising unemployment rate has widened the gap between rich and poor, raised the number of poor households, increased labour disputes and caused social disorder and political instability.

According to labour experts, the most important thing is to devise a host of measures to deal with the current crisis and minimise negative consequences.

ILO Sub-regional Director, William Salter, said that the GDP growth rate in Asia dropped to 5 percent in 2008 from 7 percent in 2007, and is likely to fall sharply to 2.3 percent in 2009. The World Bank estimated that the crisis may increase the number of people living under the poverty line in the region to 20 million. The figure is predicted to reach up to 140 million in 2010. Hence, Mr Salter emphasised Tripartism and Social Dialogue which have a positive impact on business decisions in today’s economic climate.

Nguyen Van Nen, head of the planning and support department under the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, pointed out challenges in building sound industrial relations. He stressed the need to compete a legal framework and institutions for industrial relations.

Currently, many cooperatives and non-State businesses do not have trade unions, while labour disputes are escalating. Both workers and employers in cooperatives and small-and-medium-sized enterprises are not well-informed on issues relating to tripartite industrial relations so they do not understand the importance of preventing and dealing with labour disputes.

Good experiences

According to Le Anh Dung, chairman of the Kwong Lung-MEKO’s trade union in Can Tho city’s Tra Noc industrial zone, trade unions aim to protect the legitimate rights of workers, such as social security, medical insurance and the minimum wage. Trade unions negotiate with employers to implement a collective labour agreement aimed at keeping workers from pushing for further benefits to share hardship with their employers.

Mr Dung said that in the current difficult circumstances, if there is mutual understanding between employers and workers, production activities can be stabilised and no strikes will take place.

Vice Minister of Labour Invalids and Social Affairs, Nguyen Thanh Hoa, stressed that the conference was a good opportunity to reach a national consensus on the important role of Industrial Relations in Vietnam in achieving the twin goals of a globally competitive economy and social progress.

John Hendra, UN Resident Coordinator, stated that the United Nations Team in Vietnam is pleased to support the growth of its Vietnamese partners to address new challenges amid the global crisis and its social implications.

VietNamNet/VOV