This morning (November 27), with the majority of delegates in favor, the National Assembly passed the Trade Union Law (amended), which maintains the current regulation on 2% trade union funds.
Presenting a summary report on the reception, explanation and revision of the draft Trade Union Law (amended), Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Social Committee, said that one of the basic new points of the Trade Union Law (amended) is to maintain the trade union fee contribution rate of 2%, along with amending and supplementing regulations to clarify the principles of management and use of trade union finances; amending and supplementing the spending tasks of trade union finances; supplementing regulations on the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to decentralize the collection and distribution of trade union funds; the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor promulgates standards, norms, spending regimes and management and use of trade union finances after reaching an agreement with the Government.
The Law also supplements cases of exemption, reduction, and suspension of trade union fee payment, and the Government shall regulate these cases after reaching agreement with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
Ms. Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Social Committee, said that the exemption, reduction, and suspension of trade union funds have a direct impact on the balance of trade union finances, ensuring necessary resources for the entire trade union system, and distributing funds of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
Therefore, taking into account the opinions of delegates, to ensure consistency with the tasks and practical activities of the Trade Union and the proposal of the Drafting Agency, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly directed the review and expressed consensus on the subjects exempted from, reduced from, and temporarily suspended from paying trade union fees, and added the provision "The Government agrees with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor" when regulating the exemption from, reduced from, and temporarily suspended from paying trade union fees in Article 30 of the draft Law.
The draft Trade Union Law (amended) approved includes 6 chapters with 37 articles, an increase of 4 articles compared to the current Law. The Law takes effect from July 1, 2025.
Speaking to reporters right after the Trade Union Law (amended) was passed by the National Assembly, Mr. Tran Van Hieu, Chairman of the Trade Union of Industrial Zones of Bac Ninh province, hoped that maintaining 2% of trade union funds would help trade unions have better conditions to take care of workers.
However, according to him, there should be stronger sanctions against units that owe union fees and social insurance to employees; and the correct and full collection should be made for businesses that still owe.
