The Prime Minister issued an Official Dispatch on measures to stabilize and develop the labor market.

Producing shoes for export to the European market at Truong Xuan Shoe Company, Ba Vi, Hanoi. Illustrative photo: Tran Viet/VNA

The telegram sent to Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Government agencies; Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities; President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; President of the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, stated: Recently, all levels, sectors, localities and the entire political system together with the business community and people of the whole country under the leadership of the Party have synchronously and effectively implemented solutions to restore and promote economic growth, control inflation, actively disburse investment capital, stabilize business operations, contribute to job creation, improve workers' income, reduce unemployment rate, restructure and improve the efficiency of the labor market.

However, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the 4.0 industrial revolution, the trend of digital transformation and international integration, strategic competition between major countries, the decline in growth, market narrowing and signs of economic recession in a number of countries and regions have greatly affected many industries and sectors of our country's economy, leading to a number of businesses having to reduce production scale, affecting jobs, income and life of a number of workers, while the labor market has not really developed stably and sustainably in the face of fluctuations both internally and externally.

To ensure jobs and income for workers and maintain stability, develop a safe, sustainable and integrated labor market in the coming time, especially focusing on taking care of workers' lives during the 2023 New Year and the Lunar New Year, the Prime Minister requested Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to focus on directing the drastic, timely and effective implementation of tasks and solutions according to the Resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government and the direction of the Prime Minister, in which ministries, branches and localities, according to their assigned functions and tasks, continue to review and perfect the legal framework, mechanisms and policies related to the labor market, promptly overcome limitations and shortcomings; gradually approach international standards and practices of other countries, ensuring the labor market operates safely, stably, synchronously and effectively.

Functional units continue to effectively implement the goals of stabilizing the macro economy, controlling inflation, ensuring major balances, stabilizing all types of markets, removing difficulties, focusing resources on growth drivers such as investment, export, and consumption; promoting economic development, enterprise development, production and business; having specific solutions to promote job creation, ensuring income, and stabilizing the lives of workers.

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to promote the implementation of solutions to develop human resources, especially high-quality human resources to meet the development requirements of sectors and fields; arrange, organize, restructure and improve the training quality of vocational training institutions, ensuring the supply of sufficient skilled workers to meet the requirements of socio-economic development, especially in key areas and fields.

The relevant parties continue to perfect the appropriate, gradually modern and transparent labor market management system connected to the national population database and other databases as a basis for building and organizing the timely and effective implementation of policies on labor, employment and social security. At the same time, focus on reviewing and assessing human resource needs in each locality, region, industry and field; promote activities connecting labor supply and demand, consulting and introducing jobs to workers, ensuring timely labor supply to meet the production and business needs of enterprises.

Direct and guide localities to strengthen measures to stabilize labor relations; support parties in dialogue and resolve arising labor relations issues; deploy appropriate measures to prevent and minimize the occurrence of labor disputes and job abandonment; satisfactorily and effectively resolve labor disputes and arising requests, and prevent disputes from prolonging or being unresolved, thereby affecting social security, order and safety.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor builds and effectively implements the emulation movement to study, practice and improve professional skills, lifelong learning among workers. Strengthens legal consulting activities, propaganda for workers to continuously improve their professional skills and qualifications; timely supports career transitions, and introduces jobs to workers.

Direct trade unions at all levels to strengthen dialogue, negotiation, and consultation activities with employers on ensuring job maintenance, labor arrangement, and resolving employee benefits in accordance with legal regulations.

The Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry and organizations representing employers have increased activities to support businesses in trade promotion, market expansion, product diversification, supply chain diversification, production and business expansion, creating opportunities and stabilizing employment for workers.

To ensure employment, care for the lives and social security of workers, especially during the 2023 New Year and the Lunar New Year, the Prime Minister requests and suggests:

The Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs directs and coordinates with localities to proactively and regularly grasp the situation of production and business activities, recruitment, use of labor, and job cuts in enterprises; promptly organize guidance and support for enterprises to implement policies and regimes, fully pay salaries and bonuses in accordance with the provisions of law and agreements, internal rules and regulations of enterprises; guide localities to encourage enterprises to have practical and effective measures to care for and improve material and spiritual life and encourage employees to innovate, work together to overcome difficulties and challenges. Proactively have solutions to restructure labor, prevent and handle labor disputes that may occur, especially during Tet.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally-run city directs the functional agencies, units and local authorities at all levels to strengthen monitoring and grasping the situation of production and business activities, salary and bonus payments to employees of enterprises and the lives of employees, especially employees who have lost their jobs or are temporarily unemployed, in order to have timely and effective support solutions, ensuring jobs, income and stabilizing the lives of employees.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor directed trade unions at all levels to develop a plan to coordinate with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to grasp the situation of labor, employment, wages, bonuses, workers' lives, and workers' travel during Tet to have plans to restructure the labor force in places with surplus or shortage and provide timely and effective support, especially for the disadvantaged and those in difficult circumstances.

The Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry and organizations representing employers should strengthen compliance with labor laws, promote timely dialogue and negotiation to ensure legitimate and legal rights and interests for workers.

Enterprises actively and proactively maintain stability and develop production and business, strive to maintain and ensure employment, arrange labor and resolve salary and bonus regimes for employees, fully pay social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, union fees, strictly implement commitments to employees according to the provisions of law, labor contracts, collective labor agreements, internal rules, regulations and other agreements of the enterprise.

The Prime Minister requested ministries, branches, localities and called on people, businesses and workers to join hands, unite and focus on overcoming immediate difficulties, overcoming challenges, ensuring jobs and income, and focusing on taking care of workers' lives, ensuring social security, especially during the 2023 New Year and the Lunar New Year; making an important contribution to maintaining stability and developing a flexible, modern, effective and sustainable labor market, promoting socio-economic development and deep, substantive and effective integration in the coming time./.