The Vietnamese police have detained the trade unionist Vu Minh Tien, adding to the list of labor activists who have faced issues with the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).
Project88, an international nonprofit advocating for freedom of speech in Vietnam, announced on Monday that Tien, the head of policy and legal affairs at the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL), was arrested under Article 337 of the country’s criminal code. This article criminalizes acts such as the intentional disclosure of classified information and the trading or destruction of classified documents. Tien was last seen in public on March 21 at a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, although the exact date of his arrest was not specified.
Tien’s arrest follows the recent arrest of Nguyen Van Binh, the director general of the Ministry of Labor’s legal affairs department, on similar charges. Both men were working towards aligning Vietnam’s labor laws with international standards. Tien, in his role at the VGCL, was involved in amending the Trade Union Law, which is set to be approved by the National Assembly later this year. In addition to his position at VGCL, Tien was also the director of the Institute for Workers and Trade Unions (IWTU), a government-sanctioned organization conducting research on labor issues and advising the Vietnamese government on policies.
Binh had collaborated with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and other international partners to ensure the ratification of Convention 87, which focuses on freedom of association and the protection of workers’ rights to organize.
Both Tien and Binh were working within the system, supported by the Vietnamese government in their efforts towards labor reform. The Vietnamese government agreed to labor reforms during negotiations for trade agreements with the European Union and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The issue of independent labor organizing is crucial for Vietnam’s pursuit of reclassification by the U.S. government as a “market economy,” which would bring significant economic benefits. In order to qualify, Vietnam must demonstrate alignment with international labor standards and ensure that workers’ wages are determined through free bargaining between labor and management.
Despite the Vietnamese government’s assertions, independent unions are not allowed to represent workers in Vietnam as a matter of law and practice, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The existing worker organizations and trade unions are primarily led by management-appointed individuals and are required to affiliate with the VGCL, controlled by the government.
The recent arrests of Tien and Binh reflect a broader crackdown on government-adjacent civil society activists in Vietnam. The arrests suggest a tightening of political activities not directly linked to the CPV or the government.
Directive 24, a leaked Vietnamese government document, outlines further restrictions on civil society groups, including trade unions, and intensifies scrutiny of foreign organizations and Vietnamese nationals traveling abroad. The arrests of Tien and Binh indicate the government’s reluctance to honor labor reform commitments tied to recent economic agreements.
Overall, Tien and Binh’s arrests reveal the challenges faced by activists in Vietnam and the government’s efforts to maintain control in the face of increasing economic openness.