Enhancing dialogue to promote gender equality

According to Tran Thu Phuong, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Women's Affairs Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, taking care of, representing and protecting the legal and legitimate rights and interests of female workers is one of the basic functions of women's trade unions at all levels. During a nationwide survey on the implementation of policies for female workers, the Propaganda and Women's Affairs Department found that the implementation of policies for female workers in some enterprises has not been strictly implemented in accordance with legal regulations. Employers have not really paid attention to implementing policies for female workers, but only focused on policies for workers in general. Many enterprises have the ability to better implement policies for female workers, but because there is no union proposal, they have not paid attention. The qualifications of female trade union officials are not uniform, have not been properly trained, and are not confident enough to boldly dialogue and propose specific policies for female workers.

Union officials practice dialogue exercises with hypothetical situations in enterprises

Based on the above reasons, in July 2023, the committee proposed that the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor issue a plan to implement pilot activities to take care of the representation, protection and legitimate interests of female workers through dialogue at the workplace. From pilot activities, in 2 years (2023 - 2024), the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has implemented in 6 localities: Nghe An, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Quang Nam, Vinh Phuc and Hanoi. At 6 enterprises in the above localities, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has guided, provided content, scripts, processes, and specific consulting policies for enterprises to organize pilot dialogues. When organizing, at least each enterprise had 3 policies beneficial to female workers that were agreed upon by employers and successfully applied, and the workers were very excited.

Following that success, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor wants to replicate and guide the trade unions at the grassroots level and the grassroots trade unions to apply the organization of dialogue, propose policies specifically for female workers at the workplace. During the training session held in An Giang province, 120 trade union officials at the grassroots level and the grassroots trade unions of enterprises were informed of the necessary contents, exchanged and shared difficulties in practice, especially in practice so that the reporter could point out experiences and points to note for female workers to improve their dialogue and collective bargaining skills. Mr. Ngo Quang Khanh (Senior Expert, Department of Legal Policy - Labor Relations, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor) emphasized that all legal documents in Vietnam are aimed at gender equality. Dialogue is a very familiar thing, but is understood as somewhat "far away" in reality. However, dialogue is not a difficult thing. It is simply understood as exchanging and sharing. The important thing is whether the union official is bold enough to dialogue and negotiate or not?

Vice President of Long Xuyen City Labor Federation Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc said that in the area, the work of caring for female workers has been coordinated quite fully and stably by the grassroots trade unions. However, most of the negotiations and agreements between employers and grassroots trade unions focus on general workers in the company, there are not many proposals for dialogue policies and specific negotiation agreements for female workers. This training course has equipped a lot of necessary knowledge and skills to apply in the coming time for trade union officials to participate in dialogue at enterprises more boldly and confidently. In particular, grasping the needs, situation, and characteristics of the working environment to propose negotiations and dialogues to meet the expectations of both parties to put forth appropriate and harmonious welfare requirements for female workers.

Compared to the whole country, An Giang is assessed to have a stable labor relations situation with little fluctuation. The Provincial Federation of Labor reported that in recent times, the organization of dialogues in non-state enterprises with trade unions has changed positively, the role of the grassroots trade union executive committee has been increasingly promoted, more effective, and flexible in organizational forms. In 2024, 265 enterprises organized regular or ad hoc dialogues to resolve issues related to the rights and interests of workers, reaching 100%, with flexible forms. Thereby, the grassroots trade union executive committee has grasped the thoughts, aspirations, questions, and recommendations of workers and promptly discussed with business owners to remove, adjust, and supplement regulations and rules in the enterprise, so there are no collective labor disputes or strikes in the enterprise. In particular, the grassroots trade union is always interested in making necessary proposals for female workers.

MY HANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nang-cao-cong-tac-doi-thoai-thuc-day-binh-dang-gioi-a418542.html