This morning (December 20), at a press conference announcing the President's Order on laws passed by the National Assembly at the 8th Session, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) Ngo Duy Hieu introduced the basic contents of the 2024 Trade Union Law.
At the recent 8th Session, the 15th National Assembly voted to pass the Trade Union Law (amended) with 443/456 delegates participating in the vote in favor.
The Law has 6 chapters, 37 articles (4 articles more than the current Law) and takes effect from July 1, 2025.
The Law ensures clear, substantive, concise regulations, no general regulations, only regulations within the authority of the National Assembly, closely following reality, ensuring feasibility.
Strengthen decentralization and delegation of power, associated with clearly defining the tasks and powers of agencies, organizations and individuals in the state apparatus, and improving implementation capacity.
In which, the union fee contribution rate will continue to be maintained at 2%, along with amending and supplementing regulations to clarify the principles of union finance management and use; amending and supplementing the expenditure tasks of union finance.
The 2024 Trade Union Law has some outstanding new points:
First: Expand the right to establish, join and operate trade unions for workers without labor relations.
Clause 1, Article 5 on the right to establish, join and operate trade unions stipulates that Vietnamese workers have the right to establish, join and operate trade unions, including those working without labor relations.
Supplementing the provisions in Clause 3, Article 4 to explain the term "grassroots union" as a grassroots organization of the Vietnam Trade Union, gathering people working without labor relations, in the same industry, same profession or other specific workers.
Second, expand the right to join and participate in trade unions for foreign workers (Article 5).
Third, regulations on the right of employees' organizations at enterprises to join the Vietnam Trade Union. The regulations in Article 6 are principles on the documents, procedures and formalities for employees' organizations at enterprises to join the Vietnam Trade Union; at the same time, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is assigned to guide implementation to ensure flexibility.
Fourth, supplement the principles of organization and operation of the Vietnam Trade Union and clarify the principles and contents of international cooperation on trade unions (Articles 7 and 9).
Fifth, specify the organizational system of Vietnam Trade Union.
Sixth, Article 10 of the amended Trade Union Law has supplemented and clarified prohibited acts by clearly classifying groups of acts according to specific criteria; and providing more detailed regulations on acts.
Seventh, more specific regulations on the rights and responsibilities of representing, caring for and protecting the legitimate and legal rights and interests of union members and workers (Article 11).
Eighth, supplement the Trade Union's right to supervision and social criticism (Article 16, Article 17).
Accordingly, the supervision of the Trade Union includes the activities of participating in supervision with competent state agencies and the activities of leading supervision. The Trade Union has the right and responsibility to participate in giving opinions and social criticism on draft legal documents, planning, plans, programs, projects, and proposals of state agencies directly related to the rights and interests of trade union members and workers.
Ninth, supplement cases of exemption, reduction, and suspension of trade union fee payment (Article 30).
Tenth, amend and supplement regulations to clarify the principles of management and use of trade union finances, and supplement regulations on the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to decentralize the collection and distribution of trade union funds.
