Respond to workers' requests

Vietnam General Confederation of Labor visited Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Corporation factory to learn about production, business and workers' lives. Photo: N. Phuong

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) affirmed that maintaining and improving the trade union financial mechanism is very important to continue protecting workers' rights and promoting sustainable development of trade union organizations in the new context.

The draft Trade Union Law was reviewed and commented on by the National Assembly at the Seventh Session of the XV National Assembly. Currently, the draft Law has been revised and completed to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the upcoming Eighth Session. The draft raises many new contents and proposals, including the improvement of the trade union financial mechanism and regulations on the level of trade union contribution in the new context, in order to ensure transparency, publicity and meet the requirements of international integration. One of the notable points of the draft is the proposal to maintain the level of trade union contribution at 2% of the total salary fund as the basis for social insurance contributions for employees. Accordingly, enterprises must still contribute 2% of the total salary fund, similar to current regulations.

Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Ngo Duy Hieu affirmed: 2% is the contribution rate that has been applied since 1957, to ensure financial resources for trade union organizations in caring for and protecting the rights of workers and building harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations. Maintaining this contribution rate has created many controversial opinions in recent times. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor affirmed that the 2% rate is suitable to reality and contributes to ensuring stable welfare for workers.

Surveys at grassroots trade unions also show that the source of this trade union's funding is mainly for workers because the money is concentrated on grassroots trade unions (accounting for nearly 75%) to better care for workers' welfare. Of which, expenses for welfare, representation, care, training to improve qualifications and skills for union members and workers account for more than 84% of the total expenses. Therefore, maintaining this contribution level is considered necessary to ensure that it does not cause a shock to workers' welfare, especially in the context of trade union organizations trying to attract and protect the rights of union members.

Based on the Party's policies and guidelines and the practical implementation of the Trade Union Law 2012, the Draft Law supplements the provisions in Article 29 on exemption, reduction, and suspension of trade union fee payment in cases where enterprises encounter difficulties due to natural disasters, fires, and epidemics and have to temporarily suspend production and business, leading to the inability to pay trade union fees. These provisions aim to reduce the burden on enterprises during difficult times, while still ensuring the support of trade unions in caring for employees. This is especially important in the context of a volatile global economy , where enterprises sometimes have to temporarily suspend operations or adjust their production and business scale.

To ensure publicity and transparency in the use of trade union finances, the Draft Law on Trade Unions (amended) has added new regulations on inspection, audit, and supervision of trade union finances. This amendment aims to strengthen the supervision of competent authorities, ensuring that the use of trade union funds is carried out in a transparent and effective manner. In particular, Article 33 has added a completely new regulation on the publicity of trade union finances, ensuring that all financial-related activities are periodically inspected and publicized, helping to increase the trust of union members and employees in the Trade Union organization.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/du-thao-luat-cong-doan-sua-doi-dap-ung-yeu-cau-cua-nguoi-lao-dong-10292255.html