The focus of the dialogue is salary, bonuses, and working hours.
On April 28, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour will commend 101 outstanding grassroots trade union presidents (CĐCS) typical of the whole country. These are CĐCS presidents selected from 127 typical examples proposed by local and industry trade unions, by an objective, serious, and responsible working council.
At the grassroots level, they have been and are implementing many practical and effective solutions to protect workers' rights, in which dialogue and collective bargaining are emphasized, which are the main activities of trade unions in enterprises.
Through substantive dialogue, employees (through representatives of the Trade Union organization) and employers listen to each other's opinions, strengthen understanding and trust in each other; solve problems arising in labor relations quickly and effectively; protect the legitimate rights and interests of employees; promote harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations. Collective negotiation, the result is that the collective labor agreement is signed to increase benefits and welfare for employees, which are salaries, bonuses, overtime, meals, working conditions, and other supports, helping to improve employees' lives.
One of the grassroots trade union presidents commended this time is Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Chau - Chairwoman of the Trade Union of Thanh Cong Textile - Investment - Trade Joint Stock Company. At Thanh Cong Textile - Investment - Trade Joint Stock Company, collective bargaining is carried out by the trade union according to a 5-step process.
Regarding solutions to promote dialogue and substantive negotiation, according to Ms. Chau, first of all, it is necessary to fully comply with and closely follow legal regulations, conduct negotiations according to the correct procedures; choose key negotiation contents such as salaries, income, benefits, occupational safety and health and determine specific benefits for employees. In the period 2023-2025, the Company organized more than 70 dialogues, resolved over 200 recommendations, improved working conditions and created consensus. Collective Labor Agreements have 22 contents higher than the law on salaries, bonuses, working hours, regimes and benefits such as hardship allowances, childcare support with specific levels.
Showing the bravery of trade union officials
Dialogue and negotiation are difficult tasks, requiring trade union officials to have bravery, capacity and appropriate methods, in the context that relations with employers are always difficult to balance.
Despite many difficulties, under the direction of the Presidium of the VGCL, trade union levels have promoted dialogue and collective bargaining; tens of thousands of collective labor agreements have been signed, enhancing the rights of millions of workers. This result comes from the bravery, responsibility and enthusiasm of grassroots trade union officials, especially grassroots trade union presidents.
Based on the reality of the enterprise and legal regulations, the chairmen of grassroots trade unions coordinate and propose to employers to develop regulations on dialogue and organize employee conferences. The quality of collective labor agreements is built practically, in accordance with the production and business situation of the enterprise, with many outstanding clauses, more beneficial than legal regulations for employees; the content of negotiation focuses on core issues of concern to the Trade Union organization such as: 100% of collective labor agreements have content higher than legal regulations, of which 68.7% of collective labor agreements have regulations on salary scales, salary tables, salaries, bonuses, and allowances; 73% of established collective labor agreements have lunch meals; 86% of collective labor agreements stipulate working hours, rest hours; 35.6% of collective labor agreements stipulate reducing working hours and increasing annual days off, paid days off; 91.8% of collective labor agreements stipulate welfare, funerals, visits to sick people, support difficulties and difficulties.
Collective labor agreements supplement many benefits for employees such as salary scales, payrolls and annual salary increases; 13th month bonus; lunch meals; gasoline allowances, housing, children; gifts for holidays, Tet, gifts for female workers; allowances, funerals, job security regimes. At the same time, there are additional benefits such as birthday gifts, retirement, academic rewards with specific and relatively high levels of support; some agreements with outstanding benefits for employees.
Reality shows that many grassroots trade union presidents work silently but bravely, flexibly but persistently, willing to sacrifice personal interests to protect union members, contributing to building harmonious labor relations and sustainable business development.
