Collective Labor Agreement (CLA) is an important legal foundation to ensure legitimate rights and interests of parties in a labor relation; is an important tool of Trade Union to represent and protect employees. Therefore, despite many difficulties, provincial Labor Confederation paid special attention to directing and guiding all-level trade union to carry out the construction, negotiation and signing of CLA at businesses and units.
Collective labor agreement is a tool to protect workers' rights.
From an exemplary model...
Nguyen Binh Yen, Trade Union Chairman of Sao Viet Joint Stock Company (Dong An IP, Thuan An Town) shared: "Defining CLA is an effective legal tool to protect legitimate rights, interests of employees, therefore, the company’s Trade Union focused on improving the quality of CLA with more terms benefiting employees”. Specifically, CLA of the company consisted of 13th-month salary, seniority allowance were added to the basic salary for employees; postnatal benefit and many other benefits. According to Mr. Yen, according to the CLA, all legitimate rights and interests of employees would be implemented by business owners.
It is not a matter of day or two for an employee to have a CLA with many benefits. Mr. Yen shared his experience: "We define negotiation to have a good CLA is a long process, so we persistently persuade and awaited. To certain circumstances, we must consult employees’ opinion. And after finishing the content, we worked with Directors Board, expressed aspirations of employees. And after signing, Trade Union Executive Committee must closely monitor and supervise employer’s implementation of the CLA. "
By doing practical works, the company’s Trade Union has been trusted by all employees. They are willing to share their concerns about regimes, contributing to building a harmonious and stable labor relationship in the company.
To really be an effective tool
All-level trade unions have put more effort into improving the quality of negotiation, signing and implementing CLAs in enterprises. The number of CLA increased compared to the beginning of the term. There are now 1,366 enterprises building and registering CLA (56.3%). The content of agreements focused on practical commitments that would be more beneficial to employees in accordance with the law on salaries, bonuses, other benefits. The role of trade unions in representing and protecting legitimate rights and interests of employees has been improved step by step.
However, in tenure 2013-2018, the rate 56.3% of non-state enterprises with trade unions having CLA negotiation and signing did not reach the target 65%. Furthermore, many businesses performed the CLA negotiation and signing, and application not in a serious way, just focused on contents of Labor Code; did not get more beneficial terms for employees compared with current law…
Truong Thi Bich Hanh, Chairwoman of Provincial Labor Federation, said that the CLA negotiation and signing was very difficult. In order for CLAs to be a sharp tool of trade unions for protecting rights and interests of employees, in the period 2018-2023, Provincial Labor Federation continues to direct grassroots trade unions to increase the quantity and quality of CLA negotiation and signing, and application at enterprises. Resolution’s target was at least 70% non-state enterprises to have CLA negotiation and signing; At least 80% CLAs are more beneficial than current laws, of which at least 35% CLAs are graded an A; increasing the percentage of enterprises with trade union to sign CLA; strengthening the role of higher-level trade union in the process of dialogue, negotiation and conclusion of CLA; carrying out the negotiation process in essence, paying attention to core terms such as salary, bonuses, mid-shift meal, working hours, and other benefits; collaborating with functional agencies to inspect the negotiation, signing and implementing CLAs at enterprises.
In order to achieve the above targets, Provincial Labor Federation will organize in-depth training for trade union officials on negotiation, CLA concluding skills, implementation of democratic regulations at grassroots; At the same time, focus on monitoring the implementation of labor laws, grassroots democracy regulations, and CLA. Grassroots trade unions need to focus on gaining more beneficial contents and terms to employees in comparison with current laws.
Reported by Thu Thao – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
