Vietnam amends its Labour Code

The amended Labour Code was passed by the Vietnamese parliament on 20 November. The amendments introduce a dual model of labour representation through the official trade union, the VGCL and grassroots workers’ representative organisations (WROs) of workers’ own choosing. The WROs are registered under a different competent authority and can be invoked, but they are entitled to the same rights to recruit members, bargain collectively, represent members in disputes and to strike. However, the WROs are significantly deprived of the same rights as the official trade union exclusively enjoys, namely the right to consolidate upper level organisations, check off dues with the employers, and receive external and foreign financial support.