Implementation plan for ILO Convention 98 under discussion

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Quan said Convention No 98 has already been ratified by the National Assembly and is among seven of eight fundamental ILO conventions that Vietnam has joined. The country is also considering participating in the remaining one - Convention No 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise.

He said that ensuring the right of workers and trade unions to bargain while promoting harmonious relations with employers is an important principle that helps Vietnam’s global economic integration and the enforcement of free trade agreements (FTAs), especially new-generation agreements like the EU-Vietnam FTA.

To effectively carry out Convention No 98, Quan noted, it is necessary to take concerted action, including disseminating the convention, building feasible and effective models on labour relations based on substantively promoted collective bargaining, improving the capacity of relevant parties, and building a database to help with effective collective bargaining.

For his part, ILO Vietnam Director Chang Hee Lee showed his organisation’s commitment to standing side-by-side with the Vietnamese Government to carry out Convention No 98.

He said the Convention is one of the eight core conventions stated in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and all ILO members have the obligation to respect and apply the principles stated in the declaration.

Vietnam is promoting its global economic integration as well as national industrialisation and modernisation, so participation in Convention No 98 is important to all political, legal, and socio-economic aspects, he went on.

The country has aligned many of its legal regulations with ILO conventions, which is the result of many years of cooperation between the Government and the ILO, Chang Hee Lee said, adding that by taking part in Convention No 98 Vietnam has moved further towards meeting international standards.

Echoing that view, Bartosz Cieleszynski, First Secretary and Deputy Head of the Division for Trade and Economic Affairs at the EU Delegation to Vietnam, said joining Convention No 98 will create a stable working environment for employees and thus help bring about prosperity in the country.