Delegation of Central Department of the Interior works with Dong Nai

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Khanh (Middle) at the working session with provincial leaders.

(ĐN)- The delegation led by Mr. Nguyen Tuan Khanh, a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Deputy head of the Central Department of the Interior paid a working visit to Dong Nai on March 6. The delegation was received by Mr. Le Hong Phuong, Standing Deputy Secretary of Dong Nai province and Mr. Vo Van Mot, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee. The delegation’s visit aimed at investigating a current labor dispute and dispute settlement at the province.

In the first two months of this year, there were 40 strikes in Dong Nai province and all strikes occurred at foreign-invested companies. Most labor conflicts were at small-scale enterprises from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan etc. Workers engaged in a strike for the purpose of protesting unfair labor practices and obtain some improvement in the conditions of employment, such as higher wages or shorter working hours and so on. This was due to the following reasons: most of workers at foreign-invested enterprises are either unaware of, or struggle to understand their legal rights and obligations while trade union organizations in these foreign companies fail to carry out their functions related to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers …. However, local government proved its ability to quickly and efficiently settle labor disputes through holding talks between provincial leaders and representatives from foreign invested companies where strikes occurred.

Addressing at the working session, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Khanh praised efforts of local government in settling labor disputes. He also emphasized the need for the province to establish a steering board which will examine and handle labor dispute cases if any as well as to hold more talks with foreign investors and their employees in order to raise their awareness of legitimate rights and duties. Besides, he stressed that trade union organizations in foreign invested companies should enhance their efforts in carrying out successfully their functions. Khanh also said that coordination between the government of the province of Dong Nai and local authorities which localities may occur strikes is necessary to find the best possible solutions for labor disputes.

N.P