Yesterday (Friday) i had the opportunity to inteview Chau Nhat Binh from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on WPFW-FM in DC. If you have a chance, go to the WPFW archives at www.wpfwfm.org and look for “ARISE!” You can check out the show from August 1st.
It was an interesting exchange where we reviewed the history of the Vietnamese labor movement and the challenges that they face. It was a difficult exchange because we have very different histories and experiences. For instance, there have been a lot of wildcats in Vietnam against backward employers. The VGCL does not lead these strikes but seems to serve more as a mediator or intermediary. This is difficult for me to read and interpret. There is a labor code in the Constitution which all employers are supposed to follow.
I look forward to another opportunity to go into some of these issues more deeply. I hope that you will find this exchange interesting and helpful.
Bill: I see that some of the archived shows on the website allow one to download the show. If we’re given this capacity we will play your interviews on our show “Thinking Out Loud” on WUML-FM at UMass Lowell. Dan Toomey
Thanks. Let me check into that.
Brother Fletcher, My partner and I just got to hear your interview with VGCL and greatly appreciate your leadership and insights. We were able to teach labor relations for 7 months at Ton Duc Thang University in 2013-14 as part of UCLA Labor Center/Kent Wong on-going solidarity work.