Labour-Management Relations and the Global Financial Crisis: A Reality from Vietnam

The study examines the challenges of complex labour-management relations in the new economic, political and social environment of the Global Financial Crisis in Vietnam. It explores changing labour-management relations by reviewing the existing literature and analysing the evolution of labour policy since Vietnam started its economic reform. During the transition from a planned to a market economy, a harmonic relationship has been replaced by widespread labour disputes between management and worker. The proliferation of labour strikes has occurred substantially since the Global Financial Crisis has started in 2008. This is mainly due to a lack of regulations for labour-management relations, inadequate compensation system and working conditions, and inefficient trade union practices. The paper concludes that the changes in labour-management relations reflect the impact of the global crisis on labour market’s diversity as well as the increasing important roles of trade unions in protecting workers’ rights and interests. A new model for unions is urgently needed in the new economic era.
Key words: Vietnam, economic reform, global financial crisis, labour-management relations, trade unions.