Meeting overview (source: Internet)

Deputy Minister of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh said the 2019 Labour Code, which took effect on January 1 this year, is comprised of 17 chapters with 220 articles. It features a number of major, important, and historic amendments and supplements that meet new requirements in the management of the labour market. The changes are also meant to realise Vietnam’s commitments to the international community, thus ensuring that domestic regulations match international labour standards and harmonise the interests of employees, employers, and the country, he noted.

Dialogue and collective bargaining, signing the collective bargaining agreements are the major duties, the essential demand, and bringing the practical benefit for the members, labourers, which create the power of the confederation of labour, as well as contributes to enhance the harmonious industrial relationship in the enterprises. Through negotiation, collective bargaining and signing the collective bargaining agreements, the work condition, employment and mental life of the labourers will be improved.

He also emphasized that to promote the policies of the Labour Code 2019 come to realise in the labourers's lives effectively, we have to implement communication in order to provide the information and actively support for labourers.

Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Vietnam Chang-Hee Lee said the 2019 Labour Code has met requirements in the current labour market as well as those set up by international organisations, adding that the implementation of the new content and guidance documents is critical to helping localities and relevant agencies with enforcement, thereby creating a more harmonious environment in labour relations.

He said that over the last 20 years, more and more businesses from other countries have engaged in the local labour market and appointed Vietnamese employees to important positions.

This outcome, he said, is due to Vietnam’s political stability and large workforce, with the industriousness of its workers being critical to national economic development.

Highly valuing Vietnam’s labour market, which has been continually developing in recent years, he said that what the Government, ministries, and sectors need to do now is to create the best possible conditions for the legitimate interests of workers to be ensured and for them to make active contributions towards a better future.