The conference was chaired by the following officials: Phạm Thị Thanh Mai, Member of the Municipal Party Committee, Deputy Head of the Hanoi City National Assembly Delegation; Phạm Quang Thanh, Member of the Municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the Hanoi Confederation of Labor; Đặng Thị Phương Hoa, Deputy Chairwoman of the Hanoi Fatherland Front Committee.

The Hanoi City National Assembly delegation actively listened to and absorbed the opinions of constituents during the conference (Image: laodongthudo.vn).

Reporting at the conference on the current state of living conditions, employment, and labor relations, as well as the results of implementing the Party and State's directives, policies, and laws concerning workers, civil servants, laborers, and trade unions in the capital city, Comrade Lê Đình Hùng - Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi Confederation of Labor, stated that the labor relations in the city have remained stable in recent times. The number of individual labor disputes, collective labor disputes, and strikes has shown a significant decrease.

Regarding wages and bonuses, despite the challenges faced in production and business, most enterprises have strived to ensure wages and benefits for their workers. The average income of workers is 7 million VND per month. However, this income level still falls short of meeting the minimum living expenses of workers due to inflation, leading to increased costs such as rent, childcare, and higher prices for consumer goods.

In terms of housing for industrial zone workers, the city's housing projects currently only meet approximately 30% of the demand for worker accommodations. More than 70% of industrial zone workers are forced to rent accommodations in residential areas. Some of these lodging places are cramped, unsecured and unsafe environmental hygiene with high rent, electricity, and water costs. Therefore, workers aspire to purchase affordable social house for their .

In addition, there are still deficiencies in social infrastructure and public welfare facilities, such as lacking public kindergarten. Cultural centers, sports areas, entertainment facilities, and activity points serving workers in concentrated industrial zones are almost nonexistent.

Regarding employment, starting from September 2023, some enterprises have faced difficulties in production and business, and the decrease in orders has affected labor, especially in industries like textiles, leather and footwear, electronics, and optical products. Employment opportunities and income for workers have shown a decreasing trend, leading to temporary layoffs or job loss.

In conjunction with efforts to create employment opportunities and promote unemployment insurance, the Hanoi City Confederation of Labor has continued to implement Decision No. 6696/QD-TLDL dated January 16, 2023, of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor concerning policies to support union members and workers with reduced working hours or terminated labor contracts due to business cuts or declining orders. These measures aim to alleviate difficulties for union members and workers.

Regarding the policies on social, health and unemployment insurance, the number of social insurance participants in the city has increased by 7.8% compared to 2022. However, the issue of overdue and unpaid social insurance contributions remains high and affects the rights of workers. As of August 2023, there are over 83 thousand units and enterprises with overdue social, health and unemployment insurance contributions for more than 2 months, with a total amount owed exceeding 5.3 trillion VND, impacting the welfare of more than 1.1 million workers.

In terms of state management of labor laws, labor law enforcement by various levels of government in the city has been well-implemented. Organizations, enterprises, and production facilities within the city have adhered to the regulations regarding minimum wage levels, working hours, and provided additional support to workers. However, violations of labor laws still occur in some enterprises within the city, which adversely affect the rights and interests of workers.

At the conference, with a strong sense of responsibility, constituents including union officials, union members, and workers in the capital city contributed valuable insights to the draft amendments of Laws on Social Insurance, Housing, and the Capital. Their input primarily focused on the challenges, issues, and shortcomings in the application and implementation of laws, as well as suggestions and recommendations for the National Assembly to consider for revisions and enhancements that better align with practical conditions.

Constituents providing feedback at the conference (Image: laodongthudo.vn)

Regarding the amendment of draft Law on Social Insurance, constituents proposed the inclusion of the following provisions: "Strictly prohibit the acts of pledging or trading social insurance certificates; borrowing someone else's records for labor relations and social insurance participation." They also suggested considering lowering the retirement age for workers.

Concerning the draft amendment of Law on Housing, constituents believed it was necessary to set a price ceiling for social housing, and the law should include a new provision specifying the content of the price ceiling for social housing. They proposed expanding the scope of individuals eligible to purchase social housing under Article 73 of the draft: "All citizens reaching adulthood without housing or lacking the means to establish housing should be eligible for social housing policies."

Regarding the draft amendment of Law on the Capital, constituents recommended introducing specific policies and mechanisms for attracting and utilizing high-quality human resources. They also suggested adding certain provisions to the law to regulate the balance between individual rights and responsibilities of leadership figures. This would help enhance a sense of responsibility in talent recruitment and prevent the abuse of authority in recruitment decisions for personal gain. Constituents expressed their desire for the Law on Capital (amended) to be more specific, focusing on adding mechanisms and policies with distinct characteristics and priorities, surpassing generic policies that existed before the law.

In response to constituents' feedback, Phạm Thị Thanh Mai, Deputy Head of the Hanoi City National Assembly Delegation, emphasized, "Constituents have spoken passionately and responsibly, contributing many opinions to the draft amendments of the Laws on Social Insurance, Housing, and Capital City, pointing out challenges, issues, and shortcomings in the law implementation process. National Assembly members have listened and absorbed the opinions of constituents and will actively incorporate these opinions into the process of building and improving the legal system."