Trade unions and workers' welfare in Vietnam

The role of trade unions in the labour market is currently a hot topic in Vietnam as there is a plan to transition from a single state-led union system to a new system that allows the participation of some types of independent unions. This study provides the first evidence on the links between union coverage and workers' welfare utilising a Vietnamese national representative dataset. An instrument variable technique is applied for estimation. Using cross-sectional data, the study finds that union coverage negatively affects both sexes in terms of earnings and labour supply while positively affecting their participation in social insurance. However, the effects disappear for women in terms of earnings and for both sexes in terms of labour supply when investigating the non-state sector. The study also shows some important results using panel data.