Mr. Doan Duc Han - Deputy Head of the Labor Relations Department of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor said that current documents do not define commune/ward trade unions as the "upper level" of grassroots trade unions. The current trade union system only exists at the provincial/city level and at the grassroots level.
Commune/ward trade unions are assigned some tasks and powers greater than grassroots trade unions. Specifically, they are responsible for managing all grassroots unions in their areas. They are also the representative unit, reporting and being responsible to the Provincial/City Labor Federation for all activities of grassroots unions in the area.
The decentralized powers are expressed as follows: Support and direction: Commune/ward trade unions support grassroots trade unions in activities such as organizing emulation movements, collective bargaining, propaganda work, and mobilizing workers to join the organization. The grassroots trade unions under the enterprise are dominated and directed by the commune/ward trade union.
Currently, the commune/ward trade union has not the authority to decide to establish a new grassroots trade union or admit union members, nor does it have the right to collect union fees. These tasks still belong to the city-level labor federation.
Regarding personnel: Commune/ward trade unions have full-time trade union officials, receiving salaries from the trade union budget to carry out the work of the organization.
According to Mr. Doan Duc Han, it can be seen that this relationship is a relationship of management, support and representation, in which the commune/ward trade union is assigned some authority to direct and coordinate the activities of grassroots trade unions in the area, not a higher level of administrative management.
