Female Trade Union President: Negotiating with businesses but not counterbalancing

Hwaseung Rach Gia Co., Ltd. (in An Giang) is a 100% Korean-invested company specializing in producing export sports shoes. The company currently has more than 6600 employees, of which union members account for 99.98%.

Ms. Ton Nu My Hanh - Chairwoman of the Company's Grassroots Trade Union (CĐCS) - said that in the past time, CĐCS has always received attention, coordination to create favorable conditions, and support from the Company's Board of Directors, management levels, union members, and employees; the Provincial Labor Federation regularly closely monitors and directs.

The grassroots trade union and the company's Board of Directors always coordinate, accompany, share information, and find optimal solutions for employees to feel secure in their work and ensure income and care for their lives.

Businesses are interested in improving the working environment and welfare to retain employees. In dialogue and negotiation work, there are specific plans and procedures, listening and exchanging in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation for the common goal of harmony, stability and joint development.

With the achievements, Ms. Ton Nu My Hanh - Chairwoman of the Company's grassroots trade union - was commended by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor as an outstanding and typical grassroots trade union chairwoman in collective dialogue and negotiation in the period 2023 - 2025.

Ms. Hanh said: "I am honored to have the trust of employees and the trust of the collective, so I always remind myself to try to understand and learn. I am also concerned and always want to do more for employees at the business, especially those in difficult circumstances, how to protect them and keep them attached for a long time, developing in the business.

Ms. Hanh said that in the general trend of fluctuations, the interests between workers and businesses are sometimes not in agreement, grassroots trade unions always proactively advise and coordinate with the Board of Directors to organize periodic dialogues and extraordinary dialogue conferences to resolve issues related to their rights and interests.

Sharing about implementation experience, Ms. Hanh expressed: Before implementing the tasks, there must be a clear roadmap and focus on employees, listening to and collecting opinions through many different channels. After having a wish to propose, prepare a database, consider feasibility when proposing, compare with the equivalent business level, from many perspectives from employees and businesses; Understand arguments and anticipate possible scenarios to have appropriate plans. Negotiate but not counterbalance and on the basis of cooperation and goodwill, together towards the common goal of stability and sustainable development.

Regarding the Collective Labor Agreement of the Company and Hwaseung Rach Gia Grassroots Trade Union, when consulting on the draft, it created high consensus among employees and when implemented, they were very excited because there were many clauses that were more beneficial than the provisions of law.

Periodic salary increase regime, each rank is 1 year apart, the minimum difference between ranks is 2.5%. Skill allowances, work allowances and seniority allowances, child support allowances, living allowances, travel allowances, attendance bonuses are included in the agreement...

Being praised by the General Confederation is a great honor, and also a great responsibility for me to try harder for the collective and the trust NLĐ entrusted. I think this is not an individual achievement but the result of the consensus of the Trade Union organization, the enterprise and NLĐ. In the coming time, the grassroots trade union will focus on the content of activities to care for the spiritual life of NLĐ, coordinate with employers more closely to improve the working environment. Build operating content suitable for the production environment, innovate operating methods, and optimize in the digital transformation period," Ms. Hanh shared.

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