Xavier Estupinan Gonzalo, a wage expert from the ILO, speaks at the workshop. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – A consultation workshop on the draft dossier for the accession to the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention 1970 (Convention 13) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) was held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 15.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the ILO, the two-day event is offering a forum for wage and labour experts, representatives of employees and relevant agencies in southern localities to discuss minimum wage issues for workers.
Addressing the event, Mai Duc Thien, deputy head of MoLISA’s Legal Department, briefed participants on the daft dossier, and emphasised the significance of Convention 131 and the obligations of its member countries.
Promoting Vietnam’s access to Convention 131 represents a new step towards ensuring a decent standard of living for labourers and establishing a fair working environment in line with international labour standards, Thien said.
Nguyen Thanh Mai from the same department said Vietnam’s accession to the convention aims to ensure a minimum living standard for laborers and their families, contributing to addressing income inequality among labourers, minimising wage-related disputes, and increasing labour productivity.
Additionally, adhering to international labour standards will help improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods in demanding international markets, thus addressing labour-related barriers and facilitating exports, she said.
According to Xavier Estupinan Gonzalo, a wage expert from the ILO, minimum wage systems have been established in many countries to address issues of poverty and labour inequality, contributing to ensuring sustainable social security development.
The minimum wage must be adequate to provide protection for all workers in employment relationships, including women, youth, and migrant labourers, regardless of the types of contract they have agreed upon, he said.
Delegates discussed contents of Convention 131 and proposed principles and mechanisms for adjusting the minimum wage, criteria for determining the minimum wage, measures to apply regulations on minimum wages, and relevant international experience./.
