DGD project – 5 years of connection and change
On the morning of December 19, 2021, the closing conference summed up the project “Promoting the rights and voices of migrant workers, especially female workers, towards ensuring social security and better working conditions in the industrial areas in Bac Ninh and Hai Duong provinces”, referred to as DGD project for short, took place at Bac Ninh and Hai Duong and connected online together via Zoom.
5 years of implementation of the DGD project was also 5 years of the Center for Development and Integration (CDI)’s efforts to make connections to bring about significant changes to migrant workers in Bac Ninh and Hai Duong.
CDI together with the Trade Union of Bac Ninh and Hai Duong provinces, migrant workers, innkeepers and other stakeholders have coordinated to implement project activities, organize training courses. seminars, discussions, research, policy advocacy, media events…
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Quang Thuong, Acting CEO of CDI raised remarkable results: Core groups of workers in Bac Ninh and Hai Duong areas were established and maintained in operation frequently. The capacity of the group executive team was consolidated and strengthened. Over 70% of the group’s executive committees were capable of mobilizing the participation of members and conducting group activities themselves. The Group Executive Board also actively received the opinions and problems of employees to convey to relevant parties such as innkeepers, local authorities, provincial Union, service providers, etc. The ability to present problems and suggest ideas to stakeholders has changed significantly, reflected in trainings, seminars at different levels, dialogues with local authorities and businesses, etc. Network of core workers was initially formed and had more presence and a relatively clear action plan. Representatives of network members also participated in many collective activities at different scales.
Policy advocacy activities on the revised Labor Code, improving working conditions for employees and accessing quality social security services have recorded many important results. To be specific, at the national level, at least 3 recommendations from 30 social organizations in 6 working groups and networks have been approved and included in the 2019 Labor Code regarding overtime duration and sexual harassment prevention in the workplace. At the local level, CDI and the Trade Union of 2 provinces have actively listened to, collected and conveyed many suggestions and recommendations of employees to authorities at all levels, service providers and innkeepers, in which many important recommendations have been approved by the parties, related to traffic, lighting, security, electricity and accommodation prices.
Dialogues between workers’ representatives and enterprises have been held in the factory and at the workers’ accommodation. Enterprises made specific commitments and actions to improve working conditions for employees. In addition, CDI has also designed and developed an application named WE CHECK on mobile phones, to help employees assess their working conditions and occupational health. Through this application, they will also be consulted by experts, lawyers, and answered questions about labor law and occupational health. Currently, about 500 employees have installed and used the application, including many employees in Bac Ninh and Hai Duong.
Speaking at the Conference, Mr. Tran Van Cuong, Vice President of the Hai Duong Trade Union and Mr. Than Van Vong, Vice President of the Bac Ninh Trade Union and Head of the Project Management Board highly appreciated the role of CDI in the project implementation process and recognized positive results: migrant workers have understand their rights better and willing to raise their voices; businesses have created better working conditions for employees, and innkeepers were willing to support workers in their daily lives and activities, etc. Leaders of the two provinces’ Trade Union also expressed their willing to continue cooperating with CDI in future projects.
From Bac Ninh, Ms. Kim Thu Ha, CDI consultant, one of the first people to plan the DGD project shared: “When we started working on this project, we had a dream, which is to strengthen our workers, to make them more skillfull, more united, more proactive, understand and practice their right to decent and sustainable jobs, better lives. And after 5 years, although there have been many difficulties that no one expected when the project started, like the covid-19 pandemic, but we can see some of our wishes being fulfilled. The proof is in the very clear results we see today.”
In both provinces, representatives of CDI discussed with core groups of workers, innkeepers and representatives of the Provincial Trade Union about the next plan after the project ended. From the employees’ own aspirations, the parties have agreed on the following course of action:
– Maintain the connection between employees and labor unions and local stakeholders such as local authorities, innkeepers, etc.
– Continue to maintain group meeting depending on the conditions and needs of each group, with the commitment of support from a number of businesses in the area and the innkeeper.
– Organizing communication, consulting and sharing seminars with the participation of experts and lawyers, with topics based on the needs of employees (Labour law, Health and reproductive health, soft skills, culture/regional differences, occupational safety and health, food safety, childcare, etc.)
– Maintain the activities of the core group of workers from 6 regions, including Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, and Dong Nai, forming a community of exchanges, sharing, learning, and working to jointly implement common initiatives towards improving working conditions for employees.
– Maintain communication channels, online consultation through Fanpage of Legal Forum for Employees, facebook group “Connecting to create change”, WE CHECK application.
