Cablegate: Ilo Presence in Vietnam and Embassy Working On Cooperation with Afl-Cio

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

2000HANOI00930 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ0846

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ACTION EAP-00

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 COME-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 OIGO-02 UTED-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00
LAB-01 MOFM-04 MOF-03 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OPIC-01 OPM-01
IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 R-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /018W
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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9717
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY

UNCLAS HANOI 000930

SIPDIS

FROM R.SCHIFFER FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB VM LABOR
SUBJECT: ILO PRESENCE IN VIETNAM AND EMBASSY WORKING ON COOPERATION WITH AFL-CIO

REF: HANOI #0648

1. THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO) IS PRESENTLY
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MINISTRY OF LABOR (MOLISA) AND THE
VIETNAMESE GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF LABOR (VGCL) ON A
NUMBER OF PROJECTS WHICH INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A WORKERS
COMPENSATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM; A REVIEW OF
UNCLASSIFIED

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MONITORING OF WORKER STANDARDS IN THE WORKPLACE;
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY; PROVIDING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE THROUGH TRAINING OF INSPECTORS; PROVIDING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATING TO PROVIDING THE CONFEDERATION
OF LABOR TRAINING IN NEGOTIATING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENTS; REVIEW OF OVERTIME PROCEDURES; AND A NUMBER OF
OTHER ISSUES NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE ILO PROJECT
TOGETHER WITH UNDP TO IMPLEMENT VIETNAM'S LABOR LAW. THE ILO
NOW MAINTAINS AN OFFICE HERE WITH THREE EXPERTS. THIS
SUMMER THE ILO PLANS TO UPGRADE ITS PRESENCE TO THAT OF A
'RESIDENT OFFICE'.'

2. MADAME CU THI HAU, CHAIRWOMAN OF VGCL MADE A TOUR OF
THE UNITED STATES MARCH 12-18. WITH ROBERT SCHIFFER SENIOR
ADVISOR TO THE AMBASSADOR SHE MET WITH BARBARA SHAILOR,
DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AND PHIL
FISHMAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF THE AFL-CIO. SHE ALSO MET WITH CONGRESSMAN
GEORGE MILLER AND CONGRESSMAN SANDER LEVIN ON LABOR MATTERS.
SHE THEN WENT TO NEW YORK TO MEET WITH THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE OF THE HOSPITAL WORKERS UNION 1199-SEIU, AFL-CIO.
IN THOSE MEETINGS AFL-CIO REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSSED THE
PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAM THROUGH THE
ILO.

3. IN APRIL, VIETNAM'S MOLISA ORGANIZED A TWO DAY SEMINAR
ON CHILD LABOR 'ENTITLED NATIONAL TRIPARTITE SEMINAR ON ILO
CONVENTIONS 138 AND 182 ON CHILD LABOR. THE SEMINAR WHICH
DREW THE PARTICIPATION OF 30 DELEGATES FROM VARIOUS
GOVERNMENT OFFICES, ILO. AND UNICEF FORMED PART OF A PROJECT
ON ADDRESSING LABOR MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN ORDER TO FACILITATE
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EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE LABOR LAW IN VIETNAM. MOLISA
VICE MINISTER DR. LE DUY DONG WAS QUOTED BY JOURNALIST, 'THE
SEMINAR IS "THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE
RATIFICATION'S OF THE CONVENTIONS BY VIETNAM." EMBASSY
SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED MOLISA FOR FURTHER DETAIL ON WHETHER
AND WHEN VIETNAM MIGHT RATIFY THE TWO CONVENTIONS. MOLISA
MUST MAKE A PROPOSAL TO THE PRESIDENT OF VIETNAM REGARDING
RATIFICATION. MOLISA IS STUDYING THE MERITS OF DONG SO.
HOWEVER, THEY INDICATED THAT THE SEMINAR WAS AN INDICATION
OF THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH THEY ARE STUDYING THE ISSUES.

4. IN A SEPARATE MEETING MR. SCHIFFER MET WITH OWEN
HERRNSTADT VICE PRESIDENT FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OF THE
MACHINISTS UNION AFL-CIO TO DISCUSS A JOINT AFL-CIO AND ILO
PROGRAM. HERRNSTADT WHO HAS HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE ON THE
OPIC MONITORING TRIPS TO VIETNAM AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OF THE AFL-CIO STATED BECAUSE OF ISSUES
RELATING TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION THE AFL-CIO WOULD SUPPORT
SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR VIETNAM BUT WOULD NOT WANT
THIS ASSISTANCE TO GO DIRECTLY THROUGH VGCL SINCE IT IS THE
ONLY RECOGNIZED UNION IN VIETNAM . HE IS AWARE THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY INDEPENDENT INFORMAL ASSOCIATIONS FORMING IN
VIETNAM RELATED TO REPRESENTING WORKERS BUT THAT THE
GOVERNMENT HAS NOT FORMALLY RECOGNIZED THESE ASSOCIATIONS
AS OFFICIAL LABOR ORGANIZATIONS..

5. THE US EMBASSY IS PRESENTLY WORKING WITH THE ILO ON A
PROPOSAL TO SEND TO THE AFL-CIO . THE AFL-CIO HAS
PARTICIPATED IN TWO OPIC TRIPS RELATING TO WORKER RIGHTS
ISSUES AND BOTH MR. FISHMAN AND MR. HERRNSTADT HAVE
SEPARATELY VISITED VIETNAM SINCE THEN TO REVIEW WORKER
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RIGHTS ISSUES; MR HERRNSDADT PLANS TO VISIT VIETNAM IN EARLY
OCTOBER FOR A FACT FINDING TRIP.
HARTER

UNCLASSIFIED

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