Introduction and ILO's role in the project

In cooperation with the BWV, the Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) of the ILO with the sup-port from of APHEDA, the international solidarity agency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), implemented a capacity building project to improve the skills of the union representatives in the joint management-union improvement committees that the BWV program sets up in factories where it works. These committees, called Performance Improvement Consultative Committees (PICCs), created and implemented compliance improvement plans in participating factories.

The proposed capacity building project is in line with the strategic directions of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour as they are adjusting to the role of representing workers in a market econ-omy and promoting new ‘bottom up’ approaches to union organising, structures and function. The VGCL has assumed greater organizational autonomy and is currently focused on the following strategic objectives: (a) restructuring to strengthen industry unions for apparel and textile workers in the provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City (b) accelerating sectoral bargaining at the provincial level (c) creating stronger linkages between provincial and district union structures with factory-level unions, particularly in the area of bargaining, and (d) strengthening the ability of factory-level unions and their leadership to be chosen freely by, and then represent, members and workers.

The ILO has been contributing to improving labour market governance and human rights at work, through the general framework of the Decent Work Country Programme for Vietnam. The ILO collaborating units, BWV, ACTRAV and CO Hanoi have strong comparative advantage in building trade union capacity in Vietnam through direct experience and strong and trusted relationships with tripartite partners in a range of programs that have supported international labour standards, law reform, development of training resources and compliance at factory level. 

Target groups and partners

• PICC union members;
• Unions at factory, district and 7 provincial levels in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Long An, Hai Duong Provinces and Hanoi City (where IR Project provides support for conducting pilot in 10 enterprises under BWV at Ho Chi Minh city); and
• EAs engaged by BWV programme.

IR Project: Foundation for Immediate Objective 3 of the UCD Project

This project will expand this to Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with the VGCL. It will include factory level unions in the garment and footwear sector, especially those belonging to the Better Work programme, and will be undertaken on the basis of the Overall Plan adopted by the VGCL Presidium. The overall focus of the initiative is to strengthen the democratic linkages between the two levels of the trade union by equipping the upper levels with the tools to more effectively support the lower levels. Meanwhile, the pilot on bargaining and wages will continue important efforts with the same factories in the previous phase and demonstrate a coordinated consultative process that can provide an important model for the broader union movement.

For further information, please contact:

APHEDA
Mr Sharan K.C.
Mekong Regional Manager
Tel.: +84 43 726 2719
Email: shrankc@apheda.org.au

Better Work Viet Nam
Ms Nguyen Hong Ha
Programme Manager
Tel. +84 83 935 0363 
Email: hanguyen@betterwork.org

IR Project, ILO CO Hanoi
Mr Phillip Hazelton
Chief Technical Advisor
Tel.: +84 43 734 0902 Ext: 401
Email: hazelton@ilo.org