The Government's labour policies are failing workers when it comes to housing and healthcare, National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs Vice Chairman Bui Sy Loi told Dai Doan Ket (Great Unity) newspaper.
The Government's labour policies are failing workers when it comes to housing and healthcare, National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs Vice Chairman Bui Sy Loi told Dai Doan Ket (Great Unity) newspaper.
The 2002 Labour Code only governs those who have valid labour contracts. What about migrant and temporary workers without contracts?
Our economy has not developed to the point that the labour market can accommodate all it attracts.
Those who can't find jobs in the formal labour market have to work in informal sectors.
However, we have not been able to monitor the working conditions of these workers or those that hire them.
In reality, many employers take advantage of legal loopholes to avoiding signing contracts with these workers.
And even in many cases in which there are signed contracts, employers can still get away with not having to pay the premiums for workers' health insurance, social insurance or accident insurance.
The nation has considered various ways to implement universal health insurance, but many working without contracts feel that the health insurance provided does not really ease their burden of healthcare costs. Why is this?
We currently have policies in place regarding housing and permanent residency, but we don't yet with health and social insurance.
The Government must instruct local authorities at all levels to provide data on the number of workers and provide it to the National Assembly. It's impossible to come up with effective policies if we don't understand the needs of those intended to benefit from that policy.
It's absolutely important to ensure free workers the right to housing, childcare facilities, and their children can go to schools, as well as better working conditions.
If this can be done, workers are more motivated and productive.
How can we better protect the rights of uncontracted, migrant and temporary workers?
We currently have about 54 million workers nationwide, but only about 15 million benefited from the Labour Code.
The National Assembly has started drafting a Law on Employment to fix unclear and contradictory points in the Code. This positive development certainly would help improve the level of the labour market, including ensuring that private employers participate in social insurance.
That is a primary pillar in society's social stability. — VNS