HÀ NỘI — A workshop was held in Hà Nội on Monday to look into a draft implementation plan for the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s Convention No 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Quân said Convention No 98 has already been ratified by the National Assembly and is among seven of eight fundamental ILO conventions Việt Nam has joined. The country is also considering participating in the remaining one - Convention No 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise.

He said ensuring the right of workers and trade unions to bargain while promoting harmonious relations with employers is an important principle that helps Việt Nam’s global economic integration and the enforcement of free trade agreements (FTAs), especially new-generation agreements like the EU-Vietnam FTA.

To effectively carry out Convention No 98, Quân noted, it is necessary to take concerted action, including disseminating the convention, building feasible and effective models on labour relations based on substantively promoted collective bargaining, improving the capacity of relevant parties and building a database to help with collective bargaining.

For his part, ILO Vietnam Director Chang Hee Lee expressed his organisation’s commitment to stand side-by-side with the Vietnamese Government to carry out Convention No 98.

He said the convention is one of eight core conventions stated in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and all ILO members have the obligation to respect and apply the principles stated in the declaration.

Việt Nam is promoting its global economic integration as well as national industrialisation and modernisation, so participation in Convention No 98 is important to all political, legal and socio-economic aspects, he went on.

The country has aligned many of its legal regulations with ILO conventions, which is the result of many years of co-operation between the Government and the ILO, Lee said, adding that by taking part in Convention No 98 Việt Nam has moved further towards meeting international standards.

Echoing that view, Bartosz Cieleszynski, First Secretary and Deputy Head of the Division for Trade and Economic Affairs at the EU Delegation to Việt Nam, said joining Convention No 98 will create a stable working environment for employees and help bring about prosperity in the country. — VNS