Proposal to widely consult workers on the plan to increase retirement age

Many shortcomings in the Labor Law

On the morning of May 22, the Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation organized a workshop to collect comments on the draft revised Labor Code. Attending the workshop were representatives of trade unions of enterprises, units, and workers in the area...

According to Mr. Nguyen Tu Phuong - Chairman of Nghe An Provincial Labor Federation, the Labor Code holds a particularly important position, regulating a wide field of labor relations with profound economic and social implications, affecting all economic sectors.

Conference scene. Photo: Duc Anh

This Code was issued in 1994, through 4 amendments, of which the 2012 amendment was the most fundamental and comprehensive. However, after 7 years of application in practice, especially in response to the requirements of Vietnam's trade integration and socio-economic development, in recent years, a number of problems have arisen.

At the workshop, many businesses and workers reflected on a number of shortcomings and problems not only stemming from the content of the laws but also from detailed guidance documents. Focusing on a number of key contents such as labor contracts, wages, working hours, labor discipline, female workers, dialogue at the workplace...

Mr. Nguyen Tu Phuong speaks at the conference. Photo: Duc Anh

Based on the above requirements, on April 28, the draft Labor Code and the Draft Labor Code were published publicly to solicit public opinions; expected to be considered and commented on by the National Assembly at the ongoing 7th Session and approved at the 8th Session. This draft Labor Code has many major issues that directly affect the rights and interests of workers and the activities of the Vietnam Trade Union, attracting the attention of many people.

The purpose of the workshop is to gather a wide range of opinions from workers and trade union officials at all levels, relevant departments, branches and sectors on the content of the draft Law.

The discussion content includes labor contracts and expanding the right of employees to unilaterally terminate their contracts. Expanding the agreement framework on maximum overtime hours. On wages. On adjusting the retirement age. Workplace dialogue and collective bargaining. Resolving labor disputes and strikes. Organizing employee representatives at the workplace. Special regulations for female employees and promoting gender equality. On Lunar New Year holidays and adding 1 additional holiday day...

Delegates discussed enthusiastically at the workshop. Photo: Duc Anh

Need to get wide opinion

At the workshop, delegates participated in a heated debate, especially on the issue of increasing the retirement age. Most of the delegates disagreed with the decision to increase the retirement age. “Currently, there are many unemployed workers. This year, there are more than 200,000 people, so if the age is increased, how will children find work after graduation? Meanwhile, the older you are, the lower your work efficiency. Therefore, in my opinion, it should not be increased. In case it is necessary to increase, it should be flexible, with regulations for each specific and specific profession,” said Mr. Dang Van Hai - Chairman of the Nghe An Education Trade Union.

Sharing the same opinion with Mr. Hai, Lawyer Le Thi Kim Soa also proposed to keep the current retirement age. “It seems that when drafting the proposal to increase the retirement age, they only thought about preventing the social insurance fund from going bankrupt, without considering the impact on employees and employers,” Ms. Soa said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vuong An Nguyen - Chairman of the Southeast Economic Zone Trade Union, noted that the draft content has new points from previous problems, comprehensively revised, many contents. However, like many other delegates, Mr. Nguyen said that he is very concerned about the retirement age. "I am very worried that if this regulation is passed, it may face a wave of protests from workers. Therefore, it is necessary to get the opinions of workers and employers to see if they agree," Mr. Nguyen said.

This delegate believes that the physical condition of Vietnamese workers is different and cannot be compared to that of countries like Japan and Korea. “In my opinion, the retirement age should be adjusted, but it cannot be the same for all occupations,” Mr. Nguyen said.

Concluding the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Tu Phuong said that most of the delegates disagreed with the draft proposal to increase the retirement age. “I think it is necessary to widely collect opinions from workers on this issue. The Provincial Labor Federation will also do that in the near future,” Mr. Phuong said.

Also at the workshop, delegates highly agreed with the regulations on unilaterally terminating employees' contracts without reason, adding the July 27 holiday, regulations on overtime...