To let female workers express their thoughts
Currently, Hai Chau Ward Trade Union, Da Nang city is managing 196 grassroots trade unions with 9,489 union members out of a total of 11,469 workers. Among them, female workers account for a large proportion and are present in many fields such as trade, services, production and business, administration...
This is also a force that both participates in labor and carries the responsibility of taking care of family and children, so they often bear more pressure in work and life.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Trung - Chairman of Hai Chau Ward Trade Union - said: Many female workers are still facing difficulties related to income, working conditions, working hours, maternity benefits, childcare or a safe and friendly working environment.
Therefore, promoting the role of the Trade Union organization in dialogue and collective bargaining is considered an important solution to protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of female workers.
According to Mr. Trung, the most important thing is to let workers, especially female workers, express their thoughts and aspirations through substantive dialogue channels.
There are issues that if only looking from the business side, it will be difficult to see all the pressure of female workers. But when organizing open dialogues, many very practical stories will be shared, from overtime pressure, raising young children to shift meals or the need for periodic health check-ups. When listened to, workers also feel respected and more attached to the unit," Mr. Trung shared.
Reality at many grassroots trade unions shows that the contents that female workers are interested in are often very close to daily life such as salary, income, maternity benefits, suitable working hours, safe working environment or prevention of harassment at work.
If these issues are resolved promptly through dialogue, many contradictions and pressures in labor relations will be limited early.
Not just stopping at minimum legal regulations
A noteworthy point emphasized by the Hai Chau Ward Trade Union is that collective bargaining should not only stop at minimum regulations according to the law.
Many grassroots trade unions have now proactively proposed more beneficial regimes for female workers such as supporting pregnant women, gifts on March 8th and October 20th, in-depth health check-ups, supporting union members in difficult circumstances or arranging more flexible working hours. These supports may not be too large in terms of material but have very clear spiritual significance for female workers.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Trung, when businesses and trade unions jointly recognize that caring for female workers is part of sustainable development, the effectiveness is not only for workers but also for businesses themselves.
Female workers, when well cared for, will be more assured of working, limiting resignation, and increasing attachment to businesses. That is also the foundation for building harmonious and stable labor relations," Mr. Trung said.
From practical activities, Hai Chau Ward Trade Union believes that in the coming time, it is necessary to continue to innovate the content and form of dialogue in a more substantive direction, increase thematic dialogue sessions specifically for female workers so that women can boldly share their difficulties.
In addition, improving negotiation skills, legal knowledge and the ability to grasp the psychology of female workers for the team of trade union officials is also very necessary.
In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the application of information technology to receive feedback and recommendations from union members faster; and at the same time continue to negotiate policies that are more beneficial for female workers related to raising young children, periodic health check-ups, improving shift meals or building a safe and friendly working environment.
Reality shows that where dialogue is maintained regularly, labor relations are often more stable. And where women's labor rights are properly concerned, workers also have more faith to stick with businesses and trade union organizations for a long time.
