Life is difficult
Ms. H'Minh Eban, a worker at Tan An Industrial Cluster, Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak province, is over 30 years old this year. She is currently living with her husband and two young children in a rented room of about 30 square meters. The couple's total monthly income is about 14 million VND, while the cost of renting a room, electricity, water... has reached nearly 3 million VND.
According to Ms. H'Minh, from the beginning of 2025 until now, during peak months, the family of 4 has had to pay more than 500,000 VND for water. Rental rent also increased by 200,000 VND/month and electricity bills increased slightly. Meanwhile, the salary of both husband and wife remains unchanged.
"After calculating the monthly expenses, the couple did not save any money. Many times, we have to borrow from outside to cover expenses for weddings, breastfeeding, colleague's birthdays... However, having a job is lucky, many of my friends have been unemployed for 3 months and have not found a new job yet" - Ms. H'Minh shared.
With a salary of 7.5 million VND/month, Mr. Tran Anh, in Tan Loi ward, Buon Ma Thuot city, has to save every penny to support his unemployed wife and 2-year-old daughter. In a low-lying rented house of more than 25 square meters, he said: Every month I spend 2 million VND to pay for rent, electricity, and water. After that, 1.5 million VND was spent on tuition and taking care of their children's food, drinking, and diapers. The couple spent the remaining 4.5 million VND for the whole month. Sometimes I have to ask my parents in my hometown to send me some more eggs, vegetables, rice... to save money".
The Dak Lak Provincial Industry and Trade Union is currently managing and directing 56 grassroots unions. Of which, there are 4 trade unions in the administrative and career sector and 52 units in the production and business sector, with a total of 6,464 union members.
Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial Industry and Trade Union - said: "Since the beginning of 2025, most workers working in industrial parks and clusters in the province have not received salary increases. Meanwhile, electricity, water and food prices are constantly increasing. This causes many difficulties for the lives of union members and workers. Even though they have spent all their savings, many workers' families still cannot save a single penny.
Unemployed workers increase
According to the Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial Industry and Trade Union, recently, two large enterprises in Hoa Phu Industrial Park have had to cut up to 400 workers. The reason is that the production and business situation is facing difficulties, orders have decreased sharply compared to the same period in 2024. This forces businesses to streamline personnel to reduce financial burdens.
"Given this situation, the Industry and Trade Trade Union has requested its affiliated grassroots unions to closely monitor the production and business situation at the unit. Thereby, promptly grasping the thoughts and aspirations of union members and workers to have measures to support and encourage them. Grassroots trade unions need to proactively discuss with businesses facing difficulties to try to retain workers, limiting large-scale layoffs" - Mr. Tuan shared more.
According to statistics from the Dak Lak Provincial Employment Service Center, in the first 6 months of 2025, the whole province had 6,400 people submitting applications for unemployment insurance. The authorities have issued 5,900 decisions on subsidy payment, with a total amount of more than 95 billion VND. Employees who submit their applications are all provided with job counseling and vocational training according to regulations.
