Eva E. ILR'26, Field Visit: International Labour Organization (ILO) Office

On January 11, we ventured to the BetterWork Vietnam Office in Ho Chi Minh City. BetterWork is an offshoot of the International Labour Organization that investigates and works to improve garment sector working conditions. BetterWork Vietnam plays an important role in Vietnam because of the prevalence of garment factories and production sites. The organization conducts inspections of different work sites and overall, works to improve compliance with labor rights guidelines. Something that I found interesting was the presentation on non-compliance levels across different regulations. The most common subject of noncompliance was overtime payments, followed by personal protective equipment provisions and fire safety. Learning about the specific challenges that face Vietnamese garment workers really put into perspective the importance of international labor rights advocacy and worker voice. 

One of the things I was surprised by during our trip to the BetterWork office was our discussion about how the ILO can promote changes in brand behavior. When we asked about the brands with the highest compliance levels, Ms. Ha said the name of a company that I would not expect to be compliant. I won’t name names, but it’s pretty infamous on Cornell’s campus. Anyway, they explained that the outcry about this brand’s poor labor practices in the past actually led the company to make significant changes. The increased spotlight shone by labor rights organizations and the general public revealed significant failures, but also pressured the company to provide solutions. This was an inspiring example of how advocacy and organizing can enact real change, even at the corporate level. I hope that more companies will follow this example and bolster their labor rights compliance in Vietnam. 

After the ILO, we walked around the city area and found some delicious Banh Mi. The two girls working at the store were very nice, and they gave me some free yogurt! We took selfies with them and followed each other on Instagram, which was a really fun and unexpected moment of connection. After we got our sandwiches, we sat and reflected on our visit at a coffee shop while waiting for the bus to take us to the Waterpark for the union visit. Learning from the ILO and BetterWork was an invaluable experience, but it is this time that I remember the most– thoughtful conversations with my amazing cohort, sharing a meal, and feeling inspired to keep up the work.