Recently, the National Wage Council conducted a vote, finalizing the proposal that the Government increase the regional minimum wage to 7.2% from January 1, 2026. Many union members and workers working in industrial parks in Thanh Hoa province expressed their joy at receiving the above information. According to workers, the increase in the minimum wage means that workers' income will also increase, partly solving difficulties in life and activities.
Recording in the boarding houses around Le Mon Industrial Park (Quang Phu Ward, Thanh Hoa City) shows that the daily life of workers far from home and having to stay in boarding houses still faces many difficulties: Living in cramped rooms lacks living space for children, especially very stressful on hot days.
Ms. Le Thi Thuy (36 years old, residing in Nhu Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province) said that she has been working as a worker in Le Mon Industrial Park for more than 10 years. Living away from home has caused her to face many difficulties in terms of accommodation and monthly expenses.
"Currently, my salary is about 8 million VND/month, this amount is only enough to cover rent, electricity, water, food and a portion of it is sent to my family to take care of my children's education" - Ms. Thuy shared.
Workers hope that, along with increasing regional minimum wages, functional sectors will implement solutions to stabilize prices, ensuring that the salary increase is enough to compensate for some of the difficulties, avoiding the situation of "one salary increase, two prices increase".
Mr. Nguyen Huu Quang - Chairman of the Trade Union of Sakurai Vietnam Co., Ltd. - said that the National Wage Council's final vote to increase the regional minimum wage to 7.2% is very practical and important for workers. After being applied, workers' salaries will be significantly increased. According to Mr. Quang, through grasping the concerns of union members and workers, in parallel with salary increases, workers hope that sectors and levels from the central to local levels will have solutions to stabilize market prices, avoiding the situation of salary increases but prices increase higher, directly affecting the lives of not only workers but also of people in general.
For Sakurai Vietnam Co., Ltd., in addition to increasing the regional minimum wage according to regulations, the company still increases salaries by salary scale for employees every year.
In the upcoming regular dialogue, the company's trade union will directly consult the Board of Directors to come up with a financial plan, build a salary scale, widely inform employees and pay salaries in accordance with regulations" - Mr. Quang said.
