Dang Tuan Tu, trade union president at South Korean-invested Changshin Vietnam Company, has proposed the Vietnamese government build a road map to reduce weekly working hours to 44 and 40 from the current 48.

The head of the trade union at the sports shoe maker with 38,500 workers made the proposal at a forum titled ‘Boosting National Labor Productivity in 2024,’ held in Hanoi on Sunday.

Tu underlined that labor productivity is a key driver of the growth of a firm and a mainstay of the economy’s competitiveness.

Promoting labor productivity is deemed to be the best way to push the economy and make it more sustainable, he said.

Therefore, he suggested gradually lowering working hours from 48 a week to 44 and 40 a week so that workers can have more time to rest, look after their health, and spend time with their families.

Tran Doan Trung, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Confederation, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the proposal would create positive pressure on the enterprise community.

“Reducing working hours does not mean lowering yield. It is called an increase in labor productivity if working hours are reduced, but output is maintained,” Trung stressed. 

Many incentives and benefits will encourage workers to work enthusiastically, he noted.

As per Vietnam’s 2019 Labor Code, employees in normal working conditions shall work no more than eight hours a day and no more than 48 hours a week.

“If the number of working hours is cut, employees will have more time to relax, improve their physical and mental health, and contribute to fostering labor productivity,” Trung stated.

As for the amended trade union law, Tu proposed the government and the lawmaking National Assembly support the payment of a union fee, equivalent to two percent of employees’ salaries, as a basis for social insurance payment for workers from firms.

The fee is aimed at promoting worker welfare and retaining employees.

The trade union president of the South Korean firm additionally suggested that the government should improve the regulatory environment, reduce taxes on certain imports like modern equipment and machinery, and streamline import procedures.

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