Is it mandatory for employees to join a Trade Union?

Legal situation: I was hired by a large company. After signing the employment contract, the company required me to join the grassroots Trade Union. Upon conducting my research, I discovered that I might not join the Trade Union. I communicated my desire not to join it with my company. The company has shown a negative attitude towards my request; however, they persist in their requirement for me to join, stating that all employees must join the grassroots trade union, and if I fail to join, it may influence other employees' thinking. I would like to ask a lawyer whether it is mandatory for me to join the grassroots Trade Union? 

FDVN’s opinion: 

Thank you for trusting and sending your questions to FDVN LawFirm (“FDVN”). After researching the legal provisions, FDVN has the following exchanges:

According to Article 1 of the Law on Trade Union 2012, Trade Union means a great socio-political organization of the working-class and laborers. Trade Unions are founded on the voluntary basis and are a component part of the political system of Vietnamese society, placed under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trade Unions are representatives of cadres and civil servants, public employees, workers and other laborers (hereinafter referred to as laborers), together with state agencies, economical organizations, social organizations shall care and protect for laborers’ legitimate and legal rights and interests. Trade Unions join in state management, eco-social management, inspection; examination, supervision of activities of state agencies, organizations, units, enterprises; and mobilization, propagation for laborers to study, improve knowledge, professional skill, observe law, build and defend the socialist fatherland of Vietnam.

According to Clause 1 Article 170 of the Labor Code 2019, it is stipulated that: every employee has the right to establish, join and participate in activities of trade union in accordance with the Trade Union Law. According to Clause 1 Article 5 of the Law on Trade Union 2012, laborers are Vietnamese persons working in agencies, organizations, enterprises shall have rights to establish, participate in and operate Trade Union.

In addition, according to point b clause 1 Article 45 of the Decree No.145/2020/ND-CP, every employee has the right to decide whether or not to participate in representative organizations of employees. 

Based on the above provisions, you have the right to decide whether or not to participate in the Trade Union. Employers do not have the right to compel their employees to join the Trade Union.

According to Article 6, point b clause 1 Article 36 of the Decree No.12/2022/ND-CP dated January 17, 2022, in cases where employers request employees to join, not join, or leave representative organizations of employees at the grassroots level as a condition for being recruited, or having his/her employment contract signed or extended, employers can be fined from VND 15,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 (applied to individuals) and from VND 30,000,000 to VND 60,000,000 (applied to organizations).

The above is FDVN’s consulting opinion based on research of legal provisions. We hope that FDVN's advisory will be helpful to you.

Thanh Trà - FDVN Law Firm

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