The end of a single union in Vietnam. The free-trade agreement concluded at the beginning of October between twelve Pacific-rim countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, Vietnam) (c.f. article No.9291) includes Chapter 19 on labor rights that provides for the negotiation of bilateral agreements and the implementation of commitments stemming from the same. In a bi-lateral agreement struck between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam announced at the beginning of November, the socialist republic’s government has committed that within five years, workers will be allowed to establish and join an independent union, without any interference from the state (currently, all trade unions must be affiliated with the communist-government-connected trade union confederation).
Trans-Pacific Partnership: Vietnam on the road towards recognizing freedom of association
In the wake of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement signed between twelve separate countries at the beginning of October 2015, the United States has negotiated implementation plans with several of the signatories regarding aspects linked to fundamental working rights. Negotiations agreed with Vietnam include a commitment from the socialist republic’s government to allow, within a five year timespan, workers to form and operate unions of their own choosing instead of being affiliated with the government confederation. However despite both these bi-lateral agreements and Chapter 19 of the TPP on labor rights that has been presented as “unprecedented” as regards protecting workers’ rights, President Obama still has a fair way to go to convince both US unions to support ratification of the TPP agreement.
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