Female workers at a joint stock company in the central province of Nghe An. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Proposed legislation to eliminate some favourable conditionsfor female workers has met with resistance by both workers and employers.
If approved, the draft Labour Code for 2018would remove the favourable terms for female workers that were regulated by the2012 Labour Code. These include a 30-minute daily break for menstruating women,60-minute break a day for women nursing babies younger than one year.
Tran Thi Dung, chairwoman of HCM City-based KollanCompany’s trade union, said these favourable terms reflected an understandingof the needs of female workers. “A 30-minute break every day on menstruatingdays shows sympathy for weariness of women, helping female labourers feelmotivated and giving them peace of mind.”
Tran Thi Phuong, working at An Dien GarmentCompany in HCM City, said “women feel comfortable on menstruating days if theyhave time for personal hygiene at the workplace. Many enterprises apply strictregulations on break time so female workers don’t have enough time for personalhygiene.”
Dr Nguyen Bich Thao with 30 years of obstetricsexperience agreed that women got tired when they menstruate. Short breaks everyday will help them feel more comfortable and boost labour productivity, shesaid. “Women who are in breastfeeding need a short break every day to pumpmilk,” she added. “Short break are very necessary for them.”
Reproductive healthcare for female workershasn’t received proper attention from employers.
A young female worker at HCM City-based Tan BinhIndustrial Park said: “I need time for my 10-month-age child. Thanks to the regulationon a 60-minute break every day, I had time to nurse the child who was at achildcare centre near the company.”
Tran Thi Nhu Phuong, head of the HCM CityWomen’s Union, said the current Labour Code’s regulation on 30-minute breaksfor menstruating women was reasonable, helping female workers avoid gynaecological disease and ensuring their reproductive health.
“Favourable terms for female workers are in keepingwith international conventions,” Phuong said. "Why do we eliminate suchregulations? Law makers need to listen ideas from beneficiaries and independentorganisations.”
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, deputy chairwoman of theHCM City Labour Federation, said waiving such favourable terms for femaleworkers was a setback for the Labour Code.
Talks between the city’s Labour Federationofficials and local workers indicate that not only do all workers disapprove ofthe change, but so do employers.
“My opinion is that in a progressive and modernsociety female workers must be given priority. We cannot waive favourable termsdue to some complains by enterprises,” she said.
Some employers have arranged suitable jobs forfemale workers still nursing their children, according to Thuy, enabling themto undertake light work, leave early and not work night shifts.-VNA
VNA
