Efforts to improve lives of workers  

Low wages, combined with high housing and living costs, have made it difficult for many workers in Dong Nai to see many significant improvement in their lives.

Workers buying stable-price goods at the Trade Union's Tet Market in 2025.

Currently, most workers hope that the regional minimum wage (LTT) can meet the basic needs of life. In addition, enterprises are encouraged to provide additional housing support and childcare policies so that workers have motivation to contribute and stay loyal.

Wages do not ensure a living standard  

Having worked for a textile company in Bien Hoa 2 Industrial Park for over 4 years, Nguyen Thi Hanh's income still "remains stagnant" at 5.3 million VND/month. To maintain her family's living, she has to work overtime without any time for rest. According to Hanh, the company does not raise salaries regularly each year, only adjusting them when the regional minimum wage changes. Therefore, the income and lives of workers like her remain challenging, with wages not keeping pace with market prices.

Similarly, Luong Van Chinh (from Ha Giang province) also faces many challenges living away from home. Chinh says that in the past 2 years, his company has not had any orders, causing his income to drop significantly. During the 2025 Lunar New Year, he did not return home but stayed in Dong Nai to work extra to increase his income.

Chinh shared: “In the past, the company had stable orders, if I worked overtime, my income was about 9 million VND/month. Now that I cannot work overtime, my income has dropped to just over 5 million VND/month. After deducting rent, electricity, water, and other living expenses, I have to save as much as possible, but I still find it difficult to make ends meet.”

To improve their income, many workers are forced to work overtime continuously because if they quit, it is hard for them to find new jobs at their age. Workers only hope that the minimum wage will soon be adjusted so that their families can breathe a little easier.

Doan Thi Hanh (from Ha Tinh province) has just received support from the Trade Union for round-trip bus tickets to return home for Tet with her relatives. She said that in the past year, she had to work hard to manage to support her young child’s education.

“I am not afraid of hardship, I only hope for income improvement or that businesses will have additional support policies such as housing allowances and travel expenses to stabilize lives better,” Hanh expressed.

Ensuring workers feel secure in their commitment  

Recently, the rising prices of food, electricity, gasoline, etc., have put significant pressure on the lives of out-of-province workers. According to union officials, from 2020 until now, the regional minimum wage has been adjusted 3 times. Among these, the last 2 adjustments have maintained a rate of 6%. Currently, the highest regional minimum wage is nearly 5 million VND/month (region I). Through investigations into the lives of workers at enterprises and housing areas, it is clear that this increase is not sufficient to offset inflation.

While nearly 400,000 workers are currently renting accommodation. Social housing projects in Dong Nai only meet about 26,000 people (6.5% of the demand). Surveys by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor show that about 95% of out-of-province workers employed in concentrated industrial zones have to rent housing from private landlords. Most rental rooms are cramped, with an average usable area of 3-4m2/person, failing to meet minimum standards for hygiene, electricity, water, and living environments that are overcrowded, affecting health and productivity.

According to calculations, The current regional minimum wage  is just enough to cover the mandatory expenses for one person. In cases where a worker has a family and two children, the salary is insufficient. They are forced to find ways to increase their income, such as working overtime or second jobs, resulting in longer actual working hours and many associated consequences.

To support workers, at the beginning of 2025, some companies in the province have adjusted wages for employees. Notably, Taekwang Vina Corporation (in Bien Hoa City, employing over 35,000 workers), although there is no specific information about adjusting the regional minimum wage in 2025, has proactively shared the difficulties with workers, deciding to increase wages early by 100,000 VND/person starting January 1, 2025, in the basic salary.

The company's management has also committed that if the government issues a decree to adjust the regional minimum wage in 2025 and the adjustment amount is higher than 100,000 VND, the company will add the difference to the basic salary for workers from the time this decree takes effect. Moreover, the company has decided to increase the basic salary by 4% per year for workers when the wage raise period arrives in 2025. This contributes to improving income and helps workers stabilize their lives.

Recently, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour announced that it would propose the regional minimum wage increase in March each year after assessing the overall socio-economic situation. However, in 2025, ministries and sectors are highly focused on restructuring and streamlining the apparatus. Therefore, in early March, after agencies complete their consolidation, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour will officially propose the regional minimum wage. This organization has already conducted initial surveys on job demand, the labor market, and commodity prices.

Accompanying the workers, the trade unions at all levels in Dong Nai are enhancing activities to care for and support union members and workers in effective ways. Evidence of this is seen in the preparations for the 2025 Lunar New Year for over 700,000 workers in difficult circumstances. The trade unions organized trips for 10,000 workers to return home to celebrate the New Year on reunion buses. Besides, for the 65,000 workers staying in Dong Nai for the New Year, the trade unions visit dormitories, inquire about their well-being, give gifts, and organize cultural activities for the workers.

Reported by Lan Mai