Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - When the Tet (VietnameseLunar New Year) holiday falls on a weekend, workers should still enjoy thefollowing Monday and Tuesday as paid public holidays, business associationssaid at a workshop on revisions to the Labour Code on May 14.

The workshop, hosted by the Vietnam Chamber ofCommerce and Industry (VCCI), gathered opinions of labour experts and businessassociations about draft amendments to the 2012 Labour Code, including thecontroversial draft regulation on the reduction of holidays.

Under the revisions, workers will have afive-day break for Tet. However, if it falls on a weekend, theywill not have paid days off on the following Monday and Tuesday.

Many employers recommended not changing thecurrent regulation despite doubts about its impact on enterprises’business activities.

“For the garment industry, many workers are fromthe countryside," said Truong Van Cam, general secretary of the VietnamTextile Association. "Therefore, companies should allow them to takepaid days off when Tet falls on weekends to win theirloyalty."

“Many fashion suppliers in southernprovinces even let their workers to take Tet leave until themiddle of the first lunar month," he said.

Do Thi Thuy Huong, a representative of the VietnamElectronic Industry Association, agreed the change was unnecessary.

According to Pham Minh Huan, former DeputyMinister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the regulation was establishedin the 1994 Labour Code to allow employees to fully enjoy the biggest holidayof the year and ease traffic pressure before and after Tet.

Mai Duc Thien, deputy head of the ministry’sLegal Department, said the draft amendment was suggested because the break forthe holiday – usually in late January or early February – was toolong and comes as the rest of the world has already started working [after newyear holidays]. This break affects business activities and export orders.

The ministry plans to add a public holidayon July 27, also known as the Vietnamese War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day, to paytribute to the country’s heroes.

Bui Sy Loi, Vice Chairman of the NationalAssembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, said he supported the draft amendment,noting that even with the addition of the holiday, Vietnam would stillhave only 11 public holidays per year, fewer than other countries inSoutheast Asia.

“The NA Standing Committee has discussed thechange but has not come to a conclusion," he said. "To make afinal decision, we are seeking people’s opinions and evaluating social factorssince working may be a better way to pay tribute than taking a dayoff.”-VNS/VNA