Free 'lawyer' for union members and workers

Every worker needs to know the law.

The need to learn and receive legal advice is one of the great needs of the majority of workers and laborers. This is also easily seen at the meeting between the Standing Committee of the Provincial Federation of Labor and theChairman of the grassroots union(Trade Union) Provincial Business Bloc took place on July 26. Having direct dialogue with the leaders of trade union organizations in Nghe An, the Trade Union Chairmen asked many questions related to trade union activities, Labor Law, recommendations, proposals... Thereby, many Trade Union Chairmen expressed their desire to have more access and support in the field of legal knowledge.

Many Trade Union Chairmen shared about the difficulties in the face of complicated disputes related to the Labor Law. Photo: DT

In his speech, Mr. Nguyen Anh Thuong - Chairman of the Trade Union of BSE Electronics Company Limited shared: “Our company has a lot of workers and laborers, many issues that need to be resolved, while union officials like us are all part-time, coming from the movement, have limited time, and are not specialized in skills. Therefore, with complicated disputes in labor relations, serious disagreements, we do not have enough capacity and knowledge of the law to resolve them.”

Not only at the above-mentioned forum, walking around industrial parks and workers' dormitories, it is not difficult to encounter the grievances and questions of workers and laborers revolving around issues related to their rights and interests. Ms. Vu Thi Ha (a worker renting a room at Bac Vinh Industrial Park) indignantly shared: "My colleagues and I do not understand why every time we receive our salary, we have to sign confirmation on 2 documents with 2 different figures. We understand that it is a lie, but we do not know if our rights will be affected. There are many opinions and we are afraid of losing our jobs, so we give up."

Workers and laborers are often disadvantaged in labor disputes. Photo: DT

Not to mention the opportunity to access legal knowledge in a systematic and accurate manner, many workers have incomplete or unfinished education and they become disadvantaged, disadvantaged and vulnerable in labor relations.

Quietly providing legal assistance to workers

In response to the concerns of the Trade Union Chairmen, Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Huong - Head of the Policy - Law and Labor Relations Department said: "According to regulations, we also have the responsibility to support the Trade Union in resolving problems and seeking help from competent authorities to ensure the rights and interests of workers. Over the past 10 years, the Provincial Federation of Labor has participated in resolving 35 cases.collective strikeand 10 times went to court with workers to file lawsuits, and advised hundreds of groups and individuals of workers and laborers. That said, it shows that, more than anyone else, the trade union organization understands the need for legal advice of union members and workers and always accompanies them.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation Nguyen Chi Cong answers questions from the Chairmen of the Trade Unions. Photo: DT

For Dang Thi Thu and her husband, suing the company in court was probably one of the events beyond their imagination. After returning from maternity leave, Thu was fired by the company without reason. All the family's living expenses weighed heavily on the shoulders of Tran Van Cuong - also a worker with a meager salary. They sought help fromProvincial Federation of Laborto reclaim their rights. After a period of unsuccessful conciliation with the business owner, the Provincial Federation of Labor guided and accompanied Ms. Thu and her husband to file a lawsuit. Receiving nearly 50 million VND in compensation, Ms. Thu and her husband not only reclaimed justice for themselves but also made the employer reconsider their unnecessary mistakes.

The case of Ms. Thu and her husband is one of many cases where the Provincial Federation of Labor has acted as a free lawyer to protect their legal rights in court. Disputes can arise for many reasons such as unpaid wages, unjustified dismissal, violations in compensation for work accidents, etc.

Sharing more about the Legal Consulting Center of the Provincial Federation of Labor, Vice President of the Provincial Federation of Labor Nguyen Chi Cong affirmed that all union members and workers receive free advice and support from the union organization through the website, hotline, newspaper columns... Many workers, because they do not understand this, have spent tens of millions of VND to hire lawyers to solve their problems, this cost makes their already difficult situation even more difficult.

Thu and Cuong congratulated the Provincial Federation of Labor on the anniversary of the union's founding and expressed gratitude for the union's support in reclaiming their rights and benefits. Photo: DVCC

Having been “surrounded” by hundreds of questions during strikes, having been challenged harshly by employers, having been the only hope of miserable workers, union officials like Mr. Cong and Ms. Huong need to always be alert, understand the provisions of the law and have a strong will to complete their tasks. Legal knowledge is constantly being revised and supplemented, requiring union officials to study and update every day. To ensure the accuracy of every word, these experts often have to always carry a legal handbook with them to check and review whenever necessary. For workers, they are lifebuoys, so they are not allowed to make mistakes.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Huong shared: “In addition to having a good understanding of the law and being professional in our skills, we are also very careful in our attitude when working with business owners. In all disputes, we always prioritize peaceful reconciliation and minimize the need to file lawsuits in order to save the business's reputation and maintain good relationships in the future. That is also the reason why we minimize the disclosure of business information and lawsuits.”

“We do not always receive cooperation from business owners. Many units are too confident in their legal knowledge and relationships, so they have a challenging and harsh attitude towards both workers and union officials. However, after losing the lawsuit, many businesses come to us and proactively connect with us to get more legal advice to avoid unnecessary mistakes,” Ms. Huong added.

With this stressful job, the joy of union officials who specialize in providing legal advice to workers and reclaiming justice and legitimate benefits for workers. With a sense of responsibility and a desire to help and share, they have truly become friends standing side by side with workers and laborers.

In addition to the hotline number of the Legal Advice Center (0375.037.037), workers can also seek help through the online advice section on the website of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (www.congdoan.vn) or the website of the Nghe An Provincial Confederation of Labor (www.laodongnghean.vn).

Workers can access the website of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor or the Nghe An Provincial Confederation of Labor to connect and receive free legal advice. Photo: Screenshot.