Many National Assembly deputies believe that the 2% union fee is appropriate to maintain activities to care for workers' lives. However, there are still concerns that this fee causes difficulties for businesses with many employees.
On October 24, the National Assembly discussed in the hall a number of controversial contents of the draft Law on Trade Unions (amended). In particular, maintaining the 2% trade union budget received much attention from National Assembly deputies.
Agreeing with the maintenance of the 2% union fund and the regulation as in the draft law, delegate Tran Nhat Minh (National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province) said that the union fund has been maintained and promoted effectively for more than 60 years, since the 1957 Trade Union Law was enacted until now.
This fund is used at the grassroots union, mainly to directly take care of the lives of union members and workers such as visiting the sick, giving birthday gifts, Tet gifts or organizing cultural and sports activities...
In addition, the draft law has added some contents to suit the reality such as regulations on suspending, exempting, and reducing union fee payments for organizations and enterprises facing difficulties, so when implementing this policy, revenue from union fees is expected to decrease.
However, at that time, the superior trade union still supports, protects and maintains the rights of union members and employees at the grassroots trade union when they are in cases of suspension, exemption or reduction of payment of fees.
"Therefore, legalizing and continuing to maintain the 2% level of trade union funds as stipulated in the draft law is extremely necessary, ensuring that trade unions fulfill their responsibilities to union members and workers, and their responsibilities in building harmonious and progressive labor relations, contributing to the stability and development of agencies, units and enterprises," said delegate Tran Nhat Minh.
Sharing the same view, delegate Leo Thi Lich (National Assembly Delegation of Bac Giang province) said that the actual organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union over many terms shows that the revenue from trade union funds, along with other sources, is a very important basis for organizing trade union activities and building strong enough resources to perform the functions and tasks of trade unions up to now with the specificity of this funding being different from other political and social organizations.
"I think that in the current context when State resources are limited and to take care of, inherit and effectively implement current laws as well as ensure long-term commitment of workers to enterprises and especially the activities of trade unions, collecting 2% of this fund is reasonable and ensures sustainable trade union activities," said delegate Leo Thi Lich.
Meanwhile, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri (Hanoi National Assembly Delegation) proposed to reconsider the 2% union fee level.
"I find the 2% union fund since 1957 very reasonable because the workers at that time were mainly officials and employees working in state agencies, and the 2% budget was also allocated from the state budget. When Vietnam switched to a socialist-oriented market economy, it gradually became unreasonable," said delegate Nguyen Anh Tri.
According to the delegate, the number of enterprises in Vietnam is currently very large and there are many private enterprises, FDI enterprises, the number of employees in an enterprise is currently much larger, maybe several hundred, several thousand, even tens of thousands of people working. If the union fee is 2%, it will be a burden for enterprises with many employees.
Therefore, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri proposed that for businesses with less than 500 employees, the fee should remain at 2%, for businesses with 500 to less than 3,000 employees, it should be 1.5%, and for businesses with 3,000 or more employees, it should be only 1%.
Speaking to explain and clarify the union budget, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang said that the majority of delegates agreed with the 2% collection rate. During the drafting process, the Drafting Committee also reported on receiving and explaining related opinions on union budget.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khang, 75% of the union funds are left at the grassroots union to take care of the workers. In fact, many business owners are very welcome in enterprises with higher welfare regimes, which are beneficial to the workers.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khang also said that regarding the issues of businesses facing difficulties, the Drafting Committee and the reviewing agency have designed in Article 30 a new provision compared to the 2012 Trade Union Law, which is the issue of exemption, reduction, and suspension of trade union fee payment.
Allowing foreign workers to join Vietnamese Trade Unions is appropriate.
Another issue that was hotly discussed was the participation of foreign workers in trade unions in Vietnam. The majority of delegates expressed their agreement with the regulation allowing foreign workers the right to join and operate Vietnamese trade unions in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code and the trend of deep international integration of our country.
"I agree with the recognition of foreign workers joining the union, however, we see that the union is a socio-political organization under the leadership of the Party with a charter, so there needs to be more specific regulations on the conditions for joining the union for foreign workers in Vietnam in the direction that they must agree with the principles and purposes of the union, be voluntary and responsible in building a strong union, and avoid the situation of taking advantage of joining the union to sabotage", delegate To Van Tam (National Assembly Delegation of Kon Tum province) expressed.
According to Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang, in order to limit negative impacts (if any) when allowing foreigners to join the Vietnam Trade Union, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has researched and proposed a number of specific solutions as shown in the draft law in Article 5 and the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union.
At the same time, during the operation process, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, together with relevant agencies and the entire political system, will have long-term fundamental solutions and measures to ensure that trade union activities are maintained and promoted in the new situation, and continue to innovate the organization and trade union activities to be increasingly effective and practical.
In her concluding remarks, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh said that through discussion, the majority of opinions basically agreed with many contents of the draft law and the Report on reception and explanation of the National Assembly Standing Committee, and at the same time suggested that it is necessary to clarify and continue to revise some specific contents.
The delegates devoted a lot of time and affection to the trade union organization and made high demands for the completion of the draft Trade Union Law (amended) in the direction of promoting the position and role, creating favorable conditions in all aspects, including issues of trade union staff, resources, financial mechanisms, functions and tasks of trade unions, in order to build a strong enough trade union organization, truly a socio-political organization of the working class and laborers in the new revolutionary period, on par with the requirements of building and developing the country in the new era.
In the Conclusion Notice No. 4154, the National Assembly Standing Committee noted that in addition to the Trade Union Law, there is also the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union. Therefore, in the process of receiving and revising, it is necessary to carefully consider the contents to be received as prescribed in the law or the provisions in the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union, which contents to be sub-law documents, which contents to be guided by the General Confederation of Labor to ensure feasibility, consistency with the Constitution, relevant laws, international treaties and rapidly developing practices.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/chu-tich-tong-lien-doan-lao-dong-lam-ro-ve-muc-trich-dong-kinh-phi-cong-doan-2-5026250.html
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