Streamlining the Workforce: Strategies for Managing Surplus Staff

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the importance of fair, humane, and harmonious policies that ensure equitable treatment for all during the reorganization and streamlining of government apparatus, thus stabilizing their lives.

On December 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Government’s Steering Committee, presided over the fourth meeting of the Steering Committee for the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, issued by the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Significant Reduction in Departments and Units

At the meeting, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra reported that her ministry had completed the report on the implementation of Resolution 18-NQ/TW, as well as proposals for the merger, integration, and transfer of functions and tasks of governmental organizations, along with related documents and proposals for the termination of the Government Party Committee and the establishment of the Government Party Organization, ministerial-level Party Organizations, and Party Organizations of agencies under the Government.

According to the proposed plan, the government apparatus is expected to comprise 13 ministries and four ministerial-level agencies, representing a reduction of five ministries and five agencies directly under the government. Additionally, there will be a reduction of 500 departments and equivalent units under ministries, 177 units under ministries and ministerial-level agencies, and 190 public non-business units under ministries and within ministries.

Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tra stated that the merger and integration of governmental organizations would streamline management functions and tasks, essentially addressing the current issue of overlapping responsibilities. This reorganization is expected to result in a 35-40% reduction in the number of units, with internal restructuring within the organizations as well. The proposed direction from the government also includes the elimination of general departments and equivalent organizations. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently advising the Steering Committee to finalize the reports and proposals for submission to the competent authorities by December 25.

Ms. Tra highlighted the importance of having policies in place to support officials, public employees, public servants, and laborers affected by the reorganization and streamlining process. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been working diligently to develop these policies and will submit them to the competent authorities for timely consideration. A draft decree on policies for officials, public employees, public servants, and contracted laborers affected by the reorganization of the political system’s apparatus is currently in the works and will be reported to the competent authorities in the near future.

During the meeting, the Steering Committee members provided feedback to finalize the report of the Government Party Committee on the implementation of Resolution 18. This included discussions on the names of certain ministries after the merger and the reorganization plan and model for specific agencies and units. The Committee also thoroughly discussed the policies for officials, public employees, public servants, and laborers during the streamlining process of the political system’s apparatus.

Retaining Capable Officers

In his conclusion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the development of policies must adhere to the principles of fairness, humanity, harmony, and reasonable correlation among subjects to stabilize their lives and guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of officials, public employees, public servants, and laborers. The policies should also demonstrate consistency and build upon existing policies, offering improvements over the current ones. The Prime Minister stressed that social progress, social equity, and social welfare should not be sacrificed solely for the sake of economic growth. It is imperative to ensure that people’s lives improve year after year and that no one is left behind.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of continuing to refine the incentive policies for those who choose to leave their positions immediately after the reorganization of the apparatus. The development of these policies should be linked to the responsibility of the heads of agencies, organizations, and units in evaluating, screening, and selecting individuals for retirement, in alignment with the goals of streamlining the workforce, restructuring, and enhancing the quality of officials, public employees, and public servants, as well as strengthening the leadership and combat strength of Party organizations and members.

The Head of the Government also directed that the reorganization of the apparatus should focus on retaining capable officials, public employees, and public servants who possess good qualities, health, experience, and dedication, while also implementing policies to attract talented individuals to the public sector.

To accomplish the tasks ahead, the Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee, to continue directing the completion of reports and submissions to the competent authorities. Regarding the development of policies for officials, public employees, public servants, and laborers, the Prime Minister noted that the policies should be designed to be easily understandable, calculable, memorable, and implementable. He also emphasized the importance of effectively managing thoughts and information and promoting propaganda and education on this matter.