Project protects Vietnamese guest workers’ rights

July 20, 2016 - 10:47

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Asia Foundation in Việt Nam yesterday held a workshop in Hà Nội to launch a project on protecting the legitimate rights of Vietnamese guest workers.

Vietnamese guest workers in Lybia. Guest workers, particularly unskilled and poor ones, are facing a lot of risks due to the lack of information on access to labour services overseas. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Asia Foundation in Việt Nam yesterday held a workshop in Hà Nội to launch a project on protecting the legitimate rights of Vietnamese guest workers. 

VGCL Vice Chairman Mai Đức Chính said that from 2007, 80,000 to 90,000 Vietnamese workers are sent to work abroad every year. It is estimated that they send over US$2 billion to their families each year. 

However, guest workers, particularly unskilled and poor ones, are facing a lot of risks due to the lack of information on access to labour services overseas. Some of them are cheated by brokers or are abused by employers, while many others lack information on jobs at home and cannot use the skills they learnt abroad to work in Viet Nam. 

As such, the project’s objectives are to intensify the protection of the rights of Vietnamese people who are working abroad, increase access to jobs for those returning, and improve the awareness of policy-makers and relevant parties of the challenges facing labourers.

Chính emphasised the need to increase the knowledge of local trade union officials on laws and policies and on safe migration so they can better support labourers. — VNS

E-paper