Experts
said that it was the first time Vietnam had dealt with this issue in a
FTA (free trade agreement). Therefore, the country has faced some
difficulties in coping with the new issue, analyzing its influence on
socio-economic situation and the ability to implement the most suitable
negotiation methods.
In
the reality, in Vietnam policies on labor have been improved. However,
due to ineffective policy implementation, many employers still violate
the labor law and labor conflicts and strikes are still happening.
In
addition, according to the law on trade union, Vietnam does not allow
to establish trade unions that are not under the Vietnam General
Confederation of Labor. Therefore, trade union staff are employees,
thus, trade union do not produce high efficiency.
Those
weaknesses have created difficulties for Vietnam to meet TPP
requirements of labor. In addition, TPP and developed countries have
different approach to labor from Vietnam," said senior economist Pham
Chi Lan,
According
to Pham Chi Lan, high requirements on labor such as minimum salary,
working hours, workplace safety and hygiene, prohibition of obligatory
labor, child labor and strict management mechanism have created
challenges for Vietnamese businesses to take part in export products
provision chain because if Vietnamese businesses violate those
requirements, they will be taken to the court and punished.
The
Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affair Department of
International Cooperation deputy director Nguyen Kim Phuong said, TPP
basic requirements on labor such as ensuring the right to set up
associations, the group negotiation right, eliminating child labor and
gender discrimination have already mentioned Vietnamese labor law.
However, it is very difficult for Vietnam to obey TPP requirements
because the labor capacity in Vietnam remains lower than many countries
in the region.
However,
those difficulties do not prevent Vietnam to promote international
integration in terms of labor. According to experts, TPP labor
commitments will gain confidence of foreign investors and healthy
transactions, enhancing attracting large corporations' investments in
high tech sectors, increasing export orders, create high quality jobs
and ensuring higher quality standards for workers.
Export
businesses have to follow labor standards through sets of rules for
behavior and transnational corporation mechanism on social
responsibilities. As for the government although labor commitments have
not been mentioned in FTAs, we are and will obey eight basic ILO
(International Labor Organization) international conventions and UN
conventions on civil, political and social rights which have been
ratified.
Especially,
decision 06/2012/QD-TTg on consulting business community about
international commercial agreements has created opportunities for
Vietnamese businesses to work with the government to finish policies on
labor, contributing to promoting the international integration process.
This
proves that Vietnam is capable to overcome those difficulties and deal
with similar problems that can happen in the future and transform
challenges into opportunities./.
Source: VEN.