Vietnam: Can a public lower secondary school teacher who also serves as the Chairperson of the grassroots trade union be referred to as a trade union official?

Can a public lower secondary school teacher who also serves as the Chairperson of the grassroots trade union be referred to as a trade union official?

According to Article 4 of the Charter of the Regulations of Trade Unions of Vietnam issued together with Decision 174/QD-TLD 2020 of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, trade union officials are prescribed as follows:

Trade union officials

1. A trade union official is a person who holds the title of deputy chief of trade union group or higher and is elected at a trade union congress or meeting; is designated, recognized, recruited or appointed to any position of trade union official, or assigned regular duties to perform trade union functions and tasks by a competent authority.

2. Trade union officials are classified as full-time trade union officials and part-time trade union officials.

a. Full-time trade union officials are persons who are assigned, engaged, appointed or elected by the all-level trade union's congress or meeting to undertake regular work of the respective trade union.

b. Part-time trade union officials are persons who work part-time, are elected by trade union members based on trust and recognized or appointed to the title of deputy chief or higher by the corresponding competent trade union.

Thus, trade union officers are individuals holding positions from deputy trade union group leader upwards. Trade union officers include full-time and part-time officers.

Part-time trade union officers are individuals employed concurrently, elected by the union members' confidence, and recognized or designated by the trade union's competent authorities to hold positions from deputy trade union group leader upwards.

Therefore, according to the regulations, a public middle school teacher concurrently serving as a trade union chairman will be classified as a part-time trade union officer.

Can a public lower secondary school teacher who also serves as the Chairperson of the grassroots trade union be referred to as a trade union official? (Image from the Internet)

How many teaching hours are reduced per week for a public lower secondary school teacher who also serves as the Chairperson of the trade union?

According to Clause 2, Article 3 of Circular 08/2016/TT-BGDDT that regulates policies on reducing the teaching hour norms, the teaching hours are as follows:

Policies on reducing the teaching hour norms

1. Kindergarten teachers

a. Teachers who are trade union chairpersons or vice chairpersons (part-time) shall have 06 teaching hours per week reduced (equivalent to 210 teaching hours per academic year).

b. Teachers who are members of the trade union executive committee, trade union team leaders, or deputy trade union team leaders (part-time) shall have 03 teaching hours per week reduced (equivalent to 105 teaching hours per academic year).

2. Primary school, secondary school, high school, integrated school, special education school, vocational education centers-continuing education centers, and provincial continuing education centers.

a. Teachers who are trade union chairpersons or vice chairpersons (part-time) of primary schools and special education primary schools shall have 04 teaching hours per week reduced (equivalent to 140 teaching hours per academic year); for secondary schools, special education secondary schools, high schools, special education high schools, vocational education centers-continuing education centers, and provincial continuing education centers shall have 03 teaching hours per week reduced (equivalent to 105 teaching hours per academic year).

b. Teachers who are members of the trade union executive committee, team leaders, or deputy team leaders (part-time) of primary schools and special education primary schools shall have 02 teaching hours per week reduced (equivalent to 70 teaching hours per academic year); for secondary schools, special education secondary schools, high schools, special education high schools, vocational education centers-continuing education centers, and provincial continuing education centers shall have 01 teaching hour per week reduced (equivalent to 35 teaching hours per academic year).

c. For integrated schools, the reduction in teaching hours for part-time trade union officers shall be calculated based on the highest reduction norm stipulated for each education level.

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Thus, for public middle school teachers who concurrently serve as trade union chairpersons or vice chairpersons (part-time), they are entitled to a reduction of 03 teaching hours per week (equivalent to 105 teaching hours per academic year).

How is the responsibility allowance granted to a lower secondary school teacher who also serves as the Chairperson of the grassroots trade union?

Based on Clause 2, Article 3 of the regulation on policies for allowances for trade union officers at all levels, issued with Decision 5692/QD-TLD 2022, public middle school teachers concurrently serving as trade union chairpersons are entitled to the following responsibility allowances:

- Responsibility allowance coefficients for grassroots trade union officers are determined based on the number of trade union members, the results of the preceding year's trade union fee collection, and apply to the framework of the number of trade union members, as follows:

+ For the position of grassroots trade union chairperson:

+ Other positions as stipulated in points b, c, d of Clause 1, Article 3 of the regulation on policies for allowances for trade union officers at all levels, issued with Decision 5692/QD-TLD 2022 will be determined by the grassroots trade union executive committee based on approved expenditure sources to concretely define the allowance coefficients in the internal expenditure regulations of the grassroots trade union, according to the number of trade union members and allowance beneficiaries, prioritizing responsibility from high to low (chairpersons, vice chairpersons...) and evaluating the performance of allowance beneficiaries.

The payment period for allowances can be monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually.