VISITING VIETNAM

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2011 :: RMTnews 26 I travelled to Vietnam’s ancient capital Hanoi as part of a delegation alongside Jim McDonald of UCATT and Gerald Newson of the Musicians Union. As part of the trip we met with trade unionists and students and found time to visit legendary Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum followed by a visit to the museum dedicated to the long war against colonialism when US forces finally fled the occupied south in May 1975. We met many trade union delegations including a visit to the Vietnamese National Union of Transport Workers and the Vietnamese Nation Union of Maritime Workers. Trade union membership is particularly strong and the right to strike is permitted by law within Vietnam. Their trade union structure is rather different from ours, and they have workplace unions which seem to have a similar function to our own branch organisation. Both unions were keen to forge strong links with RMT. Vietnam has a growing merchant shipping fleet, and we saw a shipbuilding yard at the side of a river in Hanoi. Many industries are becoming more and more important as the economic situation in Vietnam improves. Economic growth last year was 6.8 per cent against a forecast of 6.5 per cent and the people are proud of the fact that Vietnam has become the world’s second largest exporter of rice. The economy is growing and will continue to move away from the “peasant farmer” economy towards an industrially based one. The country is moving towards a situation of employing skilled workers in important and vital industries. Evidence of this is the development of a brand new railway under construction to link Hanoi with the beautiful Ha Long Bay. There is evidence of industrial growth around the country and with multi- nationals moving in, there will be a greater need to have organised and effective trade union negotiators who will be able to secure the best deals for the workers they represent. Quite how we progress these matters remains to be seen, but with help from bodies such as the Trade Union friends of Vietnam, the TUC and the General Federation of Trade Unions we hope that assistance will be forthcoming. Vietnam is certainly a fascinating country. It has recovered largely from past troubles and we saw no evidence of “sweat shops”, but when I mentioned that the Clarks shoes that I was wearing were made in Vietnam I was assured that they were made in a union organised factory. Union membership is especially encouraged by public companies and membership levels of 100 per cent are not unknown. Interestingly, employees in the public sector contribute one per cent of their earnings to their trade union whilst employers contribute two per cent. Should you get the opportunity to visit this amazing place, please do so. We were very well looked after by our hosts, and had a thoroughly interesting time. For further information visit tradeunionfriendsofvietnam.blogspot.com or contact 07970 345-381 VISITING VIETNAM RMT excutive committee member Dave Letcher visited Vietnam earlier this year as part of the Trade Union Friends of Vietnam delegation