Vietnam & ILO agree to new labor framework
The government and the International Labor Organization (ILO) signed a new framework agreement on December 5 called “Vietnam’s Decent Work Country Program for 2017-2021” on employment, social protection, and labor market governance.
The new document sets the framework for cooperation between the ILO and Vietnamese partners over the next five years to make progress towards achieving decent work for all in the country.
The program was signed by Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, leaders of social partners (President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Bui Van Cuong, and Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Nguyen Ngoc Bao), and ILO Vietnam Director Chang-Hee Lee.
The ILO and its constituents agreed to set out three country priorities to address in the coming years. They include promoting decent employment and an enabling environment for sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities, reducing poverty by extending social protection for all and reducing unacceptable forms of work, especially for the most vulnerable, and building effective labor market governance compliant with fundamental principles and rights at work.
“In the new phase of cooperation, the Vietnamese Government continues to place emphasis on employment issues, human resources development, and social protection in the context of ongoing international economic integration, in line with the sustainable development strategy, a balance between economic and social goals, and rights safeguarded for workers, businesses and the entire society,” Minister Dung said at the signing ceremony.
He suggested the ILO and social partners develop an implementation plan for the program. In the coming time, priorities should be given to continued support for labor law reforms and harmonious industrial relations at enterprises.
He also asked for the ILO’s support in developing national reform on wages and social insurance policies and ratifying key ILO conventions for deepening international integration.
This is the third Decent Work Country Program for Vietnam, with the previous one covering the 2012-16 period, since Vietnam rejoined the ILO in 1992. The fist collaboration was to assist the country in developing its Labor Code in 1994, when Vietnam had to form a new legal framework to govern the labor market as part of its “doi moi” (renovation) process.
The 2017-2021 program translates the ILO’s core mandate of advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work with freedom, equity, security, and human dignity. It is aligned with the National Social and Economic Development Plan and the Vietnam United Nations One Plan for the same period.
“The ILO is committed to working together with tripartite partners for achieving our common goals,” the ILO Vietnam Director said.
He noted that the 2017-2021 program should be used as a transition period towards a new modality of collaboration and partnership, from resource-intensive to knowledge-intensive. During this period, support should also be given to tripartite partners - the government, workers, and employers organizations - at decentralized levels to equip them with organizational capacity for sustainable changes on the ground.
The new document sets the framework for cooperation between the ILO and Vietnamese partners over the next five years to make progress towards achieving decent work for all in the country.
The program was signed by Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, leaders of social partners (President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Bui Van Cuong, and Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Nguyen Ngoc Bao), and ILO Vietnam Director Chang-Hee Lee.
The ILO and its constituents agreed to set out three country priorities to address in the coming years. They include promoting decent employment and an enabling environment for sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities, reducing poverty by extending social protection for all and reducing unacceptable forms of work, especially for the most vulnerable, and building effective labor market governance compliant with fundamental principles and rights at work.
“In the new phase of cooperation, the Vietnamese Government continues to place emphasis on employment issues, human resources development, and social protection in the context of ongoing international economic integration, in line with the sustainable development strategy, a balance between economic and social goals, and rights safeguarded for workers, businesses and the entire society,” Minister Dung said at the signing ceremony.
He suggested the ILO and social partners develop an implementation plan for the program. In the coming time, priorities should be given to continued support for labor law reforms and harmonious industrial relations at enterprises.
He also asked for the ILO’s support in developing national reform on wages and social insurance policies and ratifying key ILO conventions for deepening international integration.
This is the third Decent Work Country Program for Vietnam, with the previous one covering the 2012-16 period, since Vietnam rejoined the ILO in 1992. The fist collaboration was to assist the country in developing its Labor Code in 1994, when Vietnam had to form a new legal framework to govern the labor market as part of its “doi moi” (renovation) process.
The 2017-2021 program translates the ILO’s core mandate of advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work with freedom, equity, security, and human dignity. It is aligned with the National Social and Economic Development Plan and the Vietnam United Nations One Plan for the same period.
“The ILO is committed to working together with tripartite partners for achieving our common goals,” the ILO Vietnam Director said.
He noted that the 2017-2021 program should be used as a transition period towards a new modality of collaboration and partnership, from resource-intensive to knowledge-intensive. During this period, support should also be given to tripartite partners - the government, workers, and employers organizations - at decentralized levels to equip them with organizational capacity for sustainable changes on the ground.
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