Ms. Duong Thi Chung (born in 1993, from Tuyen Quang) has been attached to the job for 14 years at Thang Long Industrial Park (Hanoi). Currently, she works as a worker at a heat treatment company, with 4 years of experience.
However, after Tet, her employment situation is not very positive.
This time there are no overtime, so my income is only about 7.5 million VND/month" - Ms. Chứng shared. Although from the beginning of 2026, the regional minimum wage increased, helping her get an additional amount of about 350,000 VND in salary, this increase is not enough to compensate for the income shortfall due to lack of overtime.
In addition, the company has adjusted skills salaries for employees, the increase ranges from 200,000 to 350,000 VND depending on the level. If there are regular overtime, her income can reach about 9 million VND per month, but in reality, that is still a wish.
Reduced income makes the lives of female workers far from home even more difficult. To save money, Ms. Chung has to save every penny of expenses.
I don't dare to eat "luxury" food, each day I only buy a few tens of thousands of VND worth of pork, plus a bunch of vegetables. Some days I eat eggs, some days I eat tofu to skip meals" - she said. Saving each meal, she can save a little money to send back to her hometown to raise her children.
Having been away from home for many years, Ms. Chung's biggest wish is to save 1-2 million VND each month, so that later if she doesn't work as a worker anymore, she will have some capital to return to her hometown to work.
However, in the current context, when overtime is sparse and living costs are increasing day by day, that dream is becoming increasingly distant.
Not only Ms. Chung, many other workers are also in the same situation. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa - an electronic component manufacturer in Thang Long Industrial Park, said that before, he worked extra 20-30 hours per month, with a stable income of over 10 million VND.
Since after Tet, overtime is almost zero. "Basic salary is enough to cover rent, electricity, water, and food. It is very difficult to save or send money home to parents" - Mr. Hoa said.
With 12 years of working as a worker in the factory, according to Mr. Hoa, after the Lunar New Year is usually the period when businesses review orders and adjust production plans.
When the market has not recovered, limiting overtime is inevitable. However, this directly affects the lives of workers like him - who depend heavily on extra income to ensure their lives.
Ms. Chung and Mr. Hoa believe that, in addition to adjusting the minimum wage, there should be more practical support policies for workers in difficult times, such as stabilizing rent prices, reducing living costs, and expanding welfare programs.
What I want most at this time is nothing but more working hours, more income to stick to the city and nurture hope for a less arduous future" - Mr. Hoa expressed.
