Vietnam House mulls ways to protect employee interests

Standing deputies of Vietnam National Assembly began Thursday deliberating the amended Labor Law with provisions governing legal labor strikes topping the agenda.

According to the draft law, walkouts are deemed legal when they take place to protest against employers who violate the labor code.

However, the bill also governs that disputes must be referred to civic courts for ultimate decisions.

Hanoi Deputy Nguyen Manh Cuong threw his support behind the piece of legislation, saying fair verdicts made by the courts would protect workers’ rights.

However, Nguyen Duc Dung, a deputy from mountainous province of Kon Tum said recent walkouts considered illegal resulted from employees’ failure to tell a clear difference between rights and benefits disputes.

“If workers bring their cases to civic courts as the law takes effect, they will have little chance to win”, he warned.

The bill also stipulates that worker unions are the only organizations eligible to lead a strike.

Source: Thanh Nien News