The proposal to reduce working hours of employees to less than 48 hours/week by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has been reported to the Government by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs believes that reducing normal working hours to less than 48 hours/week is a policy that has a great impact on the socio-economy.

Therefore, the Ministry will fully study the scientific and practical bases to ensure feasibility when proposing this policy in the process of amending and supplementing the Labor Code.

Previously, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and a number of National Assembly Deputies proposed reducing normal working hours for employees to less than 48 hours/week in order to soon implement Resolution No. 101 of the National Assembly.

The resolution states: "The Government is assigned to study and propose reducing normal working hours for employees to less than 48 hours/week, based on the socio-economic development situation, and report to the National Assembly for consideration at an appropriate time."

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The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed reducing workers' working hours to less than 48 hours/week. Illustration photo: Hoang Ha

At the 13th Trade Union Congress in late 2023, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed that the Government assign the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to preside over and, together with ministries and branches, promptly study the reduction of working hours for workers, ensuring fairness with the State administrative sector, down to 40 hours. The goal is for workers to rest, recharge, and take care of their families.

Why reduce working hours?

According to Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, reducing working hours solves many problems. Firstly, it reproduces labor, making workers healthier and more energetic. Secondly , it helps workers protect their health.

The situation of workers being sick and suffering from serious illnesses is happening. "Reducing working hours creates conditions for workers to rest, reproduce their labor, take care of their children, and ensure family happiness. In particular, reducing working hours helps workers maintain better health so that when they retire, they can still live a healthy life, reducing the burden on social security," said Mr. Hieu.

The leader of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor further cited that in China, when the average income of its people reached 2,500 USD/year, the country reduced working hours to 40 hours/week; while currently the average income of Vietnam is higher than 2,500 USD/year but working hours have not been reduced.

Mr. Vu Quang Tho, former Director of the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions, said that the proposal of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to reduce normal working hours for workers to less than 48 hours/week at this time is appropriate. This proposal is the wish of workers in general to have time to rest and restore their labor force.

Mr. Tho said that this is the right time to reduce working hours for workers. However, if working hours in the private sector are reduced too much, output will not increase, affecting the GDP of the entire economy.

Therefore, reducing the normal working hours of the private sector to 40 hours/week like the current public sector will immediately push businesses into a difficult situation. Instead of reducing immediately, it is possible to reduce the normal working hours of the private sector to 44 hours/week and gradually approach the level of 40 hours/week like the public sector.

In fact, before the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed reducing working hours to 48 hours/week, at the National Assembly session held at the end of October 2023, Mr. Pham Trong Nghia, a specialized member of the National Assembly's Social Committee, proposed that working hours for private sector workers should be reduced from 48 hours/week to 44 hours/week, towards 40 hours/week as in the public sector.

According to Mr. Nghia, in Vietnam, overtime is regulated at 200-300 hours/year. If we calculate the total actual working time and overtime hours of employees, it is relatively high compared to the general level of other countries.

Mr. Nghia believes that there is no reason why workers have to work long hours when the country is developing. Workers need to be cared for, shared and benefit better from the country's development achievements. This is also the progressive trend of most countries in the world.

Statistics from the International Labor Organization (ILO) show that most countries have applied the 40-hour regime, or even less than 40 hours. A survey of 154 countries found that only 2 countries have working hours over 48 hours per week; 1/3 of the countries apply 48 hours like Vietnam, and about 2/3 of the countries have 48 hours or less.

According to the ILO, working overtime and not getting enough time to rest and recover can affect workers' health and increase the risk of accidents at work.

In many parts of the world, there is a strong link between low wages and excessive working hours. Long hours of work prevent workers from having time to rest, to spend time with their families, and to participate in their communities.