Minimum wage increase still debated

The General Confederation of Labour proposed an increase of 16% in the minimum wage. This means increases of 350 thousand to 500 thousand dong or 15 USD to 22 USD a month, depending on the regions.

Meanwhile, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) put forward an increase of 10%. According to the General Confederation of Labour, a minimal increase in the minimum wage will have almost no effect on the living standards of a large number of workers, meaning they will have to work overtime to make a reasonable wage. 

The VCCI unsurprisingly claimed the trade union-backed increase would be a burden on enterprises as they have to spend much more on wages and insurance.