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Vietnamese unions support ratification of convention on abolition of forced labour

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7 July, 2020IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Vietnam welcome the the Vietnamese National Assembly’s unanimous approval of ratification of ILO C105 on abolition of forced labour and commit to play a leading role in eliminating forced labour in manufacturing industries.

Since 2019, the Vietnamese government has taken decisive steps to reform national labour laws as part of its effort to integrate domestic laws with the legal framework of international labour standards.

In July 2019, the government deposited the instrument of ratification of ILO C98 on right to organize and collective bargaining, which will enter into force on 5 July 2020.
In December the same year, the National Assembly approved a new labour code that embraced the principle of freedom of association. Independent unions will be allowed to set up after January 2021.

On 8 June, the National Assembly approved the European Union-Vietnam free trade agreement, which will gradually abolish all trade tariffs in next 7 years in Europe and 10 years in Vietnam respectively. The assembly also approved ratification of ILO convention on the abolition of forced labour.

Tran Quang Huy, president of Vietnam National Union of Workers in Industry and Trade, says:

“We support the decision of ratification and as trade union we will play our part in ensuring implementation of the convention at workplaces. Forced labour must be prohibited as it also breaks our domestic laws.”

IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches says:

“I am glad that much progress has been made since my visit to Hanoi in August 2019. Our Vietnamese union leaders had mentioned more ratifications of ILO convention were in the pipeline, now we have very fruitful result.

“I wish our comrades continue to monitor the implementation of EU-Vietnam free trade agreement to protect workers’ rights and fight for enforceable labour standards. Unions are now able to use of the mechanism of domestic advisory group to give workers a voice.”