As a construction worker with more than 20 years of working far from home, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hau is currently renting a room with his son near Thang Long Industrial Park (Hanoi).
Although they are used to the frugal life of migrant workers, according to Mr. Hau, in recent years, the pressure of spending is increasing, making the lives of workers more difficult.
Currently, his income is about 16 million VND per month. However, all living expenses from rent, electricity, water, food, and children's education to sending money home to help the family have to be fenced for themselves from worker salaries.
The salary looks okay, but every month there are too many expenses. House rent, electricity and water bills, food bills, and money sent home... divided into portions are almost all gone" - Mr. Hau shared.
According to Mr. Hau, the Draft Report of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (XIII term) at the XIV Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union, term 2026-2031 has mentioned many contents close to the reality of workers such as taking care of social housing, improving union member welfare, protecting jobs and strengthening salary negotiation. However, he hopes that these solutions will be implemented more drastically and specifically in practice.
What Mr. Hau is most concerned about now is housing for workers from other provinces. Many workers have to rent rooms in cramped residential areas, with poor living conditions. He hopes that the Trade Union will coordinate with local authorities and businesses to promote many affordable social housing projects for workers.
Workers work for a lifetime, but many people still do not dare to think about buying a house. If there are more affordable social housing or better housing rental support, workers will be much less stressed," he said.
In addition, Mr. Hau also hopes that the Trade Union will continue to enhance its representative role and protect the rights of workers through negotiations on salaries, bonuses and benefits at enterprises.
In the context of constantly increasing living costs, workers really need an income level sufficient to cover living expenses and have some savings for the future.
In addition to the income issue, Mr. Hau believes that workers today also face a lot of job pressure as businesses promote automation and apply new technologies.
Therefore, the Trade Union organization needs to strengthen vocational skills training programs, supporting workers to learn new skills to adapt to changes in the labor market.
I hope the Trade Union will be closer to workers, listen more to the actual difficulties of workers to have more practical policies. Just need a slightly more stable life, workers will be assured to work and stick with the business for a long time" - Mr. Hau expressed.
