Increase regional minimum wage as soon as possible
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporter on July 13, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngo - a worker in the manufacturing department of Always Vietnam Company, Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, Ho Chi Minh City - said that in recent days, workers have been very interested in information about increased LTTV.
Explaining this, Ms. Ngoc said that the company currently only pays employees the salary equal to the LTTV level according to current regulations (VND 4,960,000), plus some allowances such as housing, gasoline, diligence, etc., a total of less than VND 6 million/month. With such a salary, it is very difficult for workers to live in Ho Chi Minh City, so most workers have to work overtime to earn more income. If they actively work part-time, their total income will be around 8 million VND to 9 million VND/month.
Ms. Ngoc herself has worked for the company for 24 years, but her salary is less than 9 million VND, so she also has to work overtime regularly to earn more income.
"For those who have been in the profession for a long time like us, it is a little better. But for new employees, with a salary of less than 6 million VND, it is not enough to live on their own, let alone raise children or send money to support parents in the countryside. In fact, many employees at the company have had to leave their jobs and return to the provinces to live. Some workers in the Central provinces have to save up for a few years to dare to visit their families once, because there is not enough cost," Ms. Ngoc said, adding that the 7.2% increase in LTTV is not high. Ms. Ngoc hopes that the State needs to increase LTTV as soon as possible, not waiting until January 1, 2026 to increase.
Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang - a worker at Viet Thang Company, Ho Chi Minh City - shared that the average income of workers in the textile and footwear industry in Ho Chi Minh City is currently only about 9-10 million VND/month, including overtime pay. Recently, the prices of many consumer and household items such as rice, meat, and cooking oil have also increased, so workers have to spend more sparingly to ensure their lives. With an increase of 7.2% for LTTV, Ms. Hang said that it has not met the requirements of employees because in fact, if there is an increase of 350,000 VND/month, the prices of goods will also increase accordingly, which will not be enough to compensate for employees' lives.
Mr. Quach Man Nghia - Chairman of the Trade Union of Always Vietnam Company - also said that receiving opinions from many employees shows that they all want to push the LTTV increase early instead of having to wait until January 1, 2026 as planned.
Enterprises have paid higher than the minimum wage
Mr. Huynh Van Choi - Chairman of the Trade Union of Viet Hung Joint Stock Company - said that the average salary of 530 employees of the company is about 9.3 million VND/month. If employees work overtime, they will receive an additional 2 million VND/month, with a total income of about 11.3 million VND/month. Therefore, if the State increases LTTV to 5.31 million VND/month (expected to be applied from January 1, 2026), it will only affect the increase in social insurance contributions, but the expected increase in LTTV is also lower than the salary that the company pays to employees.
Ms. Tran Thi Hong Van - Chairwoman of the Trade Union of Nissei Electric Vietnam Company (Linh Trung 1 Export Processing Zone, Ho Chi Minh City) - said that the basic salary of employees at the company is 5,932,000 VND/person/month, 20% higher than the highest level of LTTV currently (VND 4,960,000) and higher than the LTTV expected to be applied from January 1, 2026.
Normally, the company has a salary increase every year since January, with an increase of 200,000 VND, and when the State increases LTTV, the company also increases salaries for employees.
Ms. Van added that according to many workers' feedback, in recent times, the prices of essential goods for life have increased from electricity bills, rice, and cooking oil. Some employees said that the rental fee increased by 200,000 VND/month, and the garbage collection fee also increased from 20,000 VND/room to 60,000 VND/room.
According to Ms. Van, to be able to live in Ho Chi Minh City, a worker needs to have an income of at least about 8 million VND, but if he has a small child, it will cost more than that. Because of low incomes, many workers tend to be slow to get married or dare not have children, said Ms. Van, suggesting that the time to increase TMTV for workers should be pushed forward.
