Hai Phong (VNS/VNA) — At enterprises in Vietnam, it is still commonto see a senior manager or human resources manager doubling as that company'strade union chairman.

Although trade unions are supposed to represent and protect the rights andinterests of labourers, the union leaders are usually employed by businesses,which in principle, would undermine their works.

An international expert on employee-employer relations has said making unionsindependent from the interference of management is key to building harmonious,stable and progressive industrial relations.

Pham Thi Hang, chairwoman of Hai Phong Economic Zone’s trade union, is wellknown for her initiatives to help improve benefits for labourers and make tradeunions free from management interference.

She has advocated establishing trade unions with workers as the core members sothey no longer depend on employers to make decisions related to labour rightsand for these efforts, she became one of the 10 outstanding trade unionofficials honoured in the Nguyen Van Linh awards held for the first time inJuly by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.

Hang and trade union officials of the economic zone have approached each andevery factory to listen to labourers’ difficulties and recommendations andencourage them to apply for trade unions.

Among 220 companies located in the economic zone, 188 have establishedgrassroots trade unions. So far, about 100,000 out of 130,000 workers in theeconomic zone have become union members, a testament to the non-stop efforts ofchairwoman Hang and her colleagues, who realised that Vietnam's internationalagreements allow for workers to freely choose which organisations they wouldlike to join.

Hang has also pioneered collectivebargaining with Foreign Direct Investment enterprises to provide betterbenefits for labourers.

Since 2016, Hang has directly negotiated a collective bargaining agreement witha group of enterprises from the Republic of Korea. By June this year, 19 businesseshad signed the agreement.

The agreement offers better benefits for workers at firms in the Hai PhongEconomic Zone. It sets the meal allowance at a minimum of 21,000 VND (0.9 USD)per worker per day. The Tet (Lunar New Year) bonus is equal to at least onemonth's wage. The monthly travel allowance is 400,000 VND per worker. Femaleworkers in their menstrual period are paid overtime for their hours accordingto the Labour Code. Each month, labourers must have at least one week workingfor 40 hours.

The negotiation process was not easy. To persuade business representatives, Hangand the leaders of the trade unions had to analyse the advantages anddisadvantages of increasing wages and meal allowances to make sure employersunderstood the benefits of the changes.

ILO Vietnam country director Chang-Hee Lee has praised Hang’s creative andunique approach, calling the agreement at Hai Phong Economic Zone a newmilestone in developing labour relations among businesses and their employees.

Hang was honoured last month by the VGCL as one of the ten most outstandingindividuals who contributed to trade union activities.-VNS/VNA