Many workers have wages lower than the regional minimum wage
Recently, Lao Dong Newspaper received petitions from the collective of employees of the Center for Functional Rehabilitation, Education, Vocational Training and Job Creation for the Blind. Accordingly, from 2017, the Center arbitrarily changed the form of salary payment to wages, leading to the salary of employees not being adjusted in accordance with the State's policies. From January 2026, the Center will not adjust according to the regional minimum wage, many employees receive monthly income lower than the minimum wage...
According to the investigation of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, the Center for Functional Rehabilitation, Education, Vocational Training and Job Creation for the Blind was established under Decision 2801/QD-UBND dated August 2, 2007 of the People's Committee of Hai Duong province (old), and is a unit directly under the Hai Duong Provincial Association of the Blind.
On December 5, 2008, the Department of Home Affairs agreed to let the Center contract 12 staff. As of 2017, the Center still carried out long-term labor contracts with 12 people, ranked in salary according to Decree 204/2004/ND-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government, enjoying preferential allowances of 70%, hazardous and dangerous coefficient 0.2.
On April 24, 2017, the State Treasury of Hai Duong province issued a document on temporarily suspending salary payments to the center because the unit did not have a document approving staffing quotas approved by competent authorities. On June 2, 2017, the Department of Home Affairs organized an inter-sectoral meeting on the implementation of policies and regimes for employees at the Center. According to the meeting conclusion, the Center has not been identified as a public non-business unit, so it is not assigned staffing and requests the Center to change labor contracts from salary regime contracts according to ranks of officials, employees, and teachers signed previously to salary regimes (out of the total source supported by the provincial budget for the center's annual operations) and maintain this salary level until now.
Because it is a labor contract according to the salary regime, employees at the Center are required by Social Insurance to pay social insurance according to the regional basic salary level for the business sector. Therefore, most employees have to pay actual social insurance higher than the contribution level provided by the budget, leading to a decrease in employees' salaries.
Proposal to remove obstacles in mechanisms
Mr. Pham Van Tuan - Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City Association of the Blind, former Chairman of Hai Duong Provincial Association of the Blind cum former Director of the Center and Mr. Vu Anh Minh - Director of the Center (from 2020 to present) said that continuously from 2017, teachers and staff working at the center have sent petitions to functional agencies. Leaders of the Association and the Center have also repeatedly sent petitions to resolve problems, proposing functional agencies to adjust the total source of expenditure for employees from the budget so that the center can adjust to increase wages for employees. However, to date, the petition has not been resolved due to mechanisms and policies. Regarding the income problems of employees at the center, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the city, together with the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of Finance, have been and are considering and resolving them.
At the most recent working session (April 2, 2026) of the Standing Committee of the Hai Phong Blind Association and officials, teachers, and staff of the center, the Association's leaders also answered about recommendations and proposals related to policies and regimes for employees to understand and share. Employees also proposed to be organized massage and acupressure services and produce and consume bamboo toothpicks. On April 9, 2026, the City Blind Association agreed to temporarily assign the massage and acupressure facility (an economic organization under the Association's management) and agreed to let the center organize the production of bamboo toothpicks, with the aim of increasing income and helping employees overcome difficulties. However, after the meeting, on April 16, 2026, employees continued to send petitions to functional agencies and press agencies.
Mr. Hoang Van Son - Chairman of the Hai Phong City Association of the Blind - said that from the perspective of workers, the fact that salaries have not been increased since 2017 has directly affected their lives. However, the Association and the Center are also proposing to functional agencies to find solutions.
It is known that at the time before the merger, the People's Committee of Hai Duong province (old) also had a direction to merge the Center with the Social Protection Center (under the old Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Hai Duong province), but it has not been implemented. The Hai Phong City Association of the Blind wishes the city to consider having a mechanism for employees at the center so that the Center has a basis for paying salaries and social insurance benefits to employees, ending prolonged petitions. Functional agencies continue to consider and evaluate the operating model at the Center in the context of merging 2 localities, studying plans to arrange in the direction of merging the Center to ensure synchronization and unity in implementing policies and regimes with employees.
