Regional minimum wages could increase in 2015 in accordance with growth rate of Gross Domestic Product and inflation, employers’ organisations have recommended.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Vietnam Co-operative Alliance (VCA), Vietnam Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Vietnam Garment and Textile Association (VITAS) and other sectorial associations got together in Hanoi to discuss “Employers’ proposal on adjustment of minimum wages for 2015″ at a workshop co-organised recently by VCCI and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Regional minimum wages grew on average by 9.9 percent in 2010, 30.1 percent in 2012 and 15.2 percent this year.
According to VCCI, the growth rate of regional minimum wages was equivalent to that of Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 2010-2011, but three times higher than CPI growth since 2012.
“The increase of minimum wages for 2015 should ensure both the actual salaries of workers and the production of enterprises,” said VCCI Employers’ Bureau Director Phung Quang Huy.
According to VCCI, minimum wage adjustment mostly affects garment, footwear and fishery industries.
“Increasing minimum wages by 10 percent could increase enterprises’ costs for salaries by over 17 percent, due to increased allowances and other social benefits,” said VCCI Employers’ Bureau Deputy Director Vi Thi Hong Minh.
Representing employers’ organisations at the National Wage Council are VCCI, VCA, Vietnam Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association, and Vietnam Textile and Garment Association.
ILO Vietnam’s Chief Technical Advisor on Industrial Relations, Phillip Hazelton, said that it is important to enable and encourage joint and evidence-based discussion and interventions of key employers’ groups on minimum wage adjustment.
The ILO encourages a stronger co-ordination role of VCCI in working with other employer’s organisations on the National Wage Council, and hopes that “different associations will be able to work more closely on joint studies and joint activities around this important area”.
“We urge minimum wage adjustment proposals of employers’ organisations and the trade union side to be based on the use of reliable statistics and sound data analysis, taking into consideration both social and economic criteria,” Hazelton added.
Minimum wage is a single wage floor level below which employers cannot go legally.
The ILO suggests that the negotiations should look into the needs of workers and economic factors such as payment ability and competitiveness.
Giang Tu
Đăng ký: VietNam News