Vietnam: The salary level of environmental sanitation workers is not yet fair
Due to the rapid rising cost of living in Vietnam, the salary level of environmental sanitation workers is not yet suitable, leading to the lack of staff across big cities and other related environmental consequences.
According to Hanoi Urban Environment Company Limited (Urenco), currently, Hanoi has more than 6,000 tons of household waste being discharged into the environment every day, not including industrial waste, construction waste, and hazardous waste. According to statistics, the amount of waste will constantly increase with the speed of urbanisation, each year it is expected that Hanoi will increase about 5% of the volume of waste. With a collection rate of 98 - 100%, by 2025, the volume of waste to be collected and treated in the capital will be about 8,500 tons/day.
In 2021, although Urenco's revenue only reached 58% of the planned amount (10.8 billion/18.8 billion VND), the company made huge efforts to ensure the average income for its employees is 7.3 million VND (~$311)/month. However, this is still the level of income that is not commensurate with the efforts that the workers have to put in, and when the prices of all essential items have increased, especially the sharp increase in gasoline and oil prices, this income level has not been enough for workers to cover their lives and take care of their children. In 2021, the whole unit about 254 workers resigning, making it difficult for the company to find replacement workers. Despite the difficult financial conditions for production and business activities, thanks to the improvement, innovation and cost-saving activities of the workers themselves, the Company's revenue has been ensured. According to the plan, in 2023, the average income of Urenco will reach 8.2 million VND (~$350)/person/month.
Environmental sanitation companies have been trying their best to take care of their employees through both financial and non-financial activities. For Lunar New Year 2023, with the motto "leave anyone be left behind" and "people and families have Tet together", Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment One Member Co., Ltd spent nearly 3 billion VND (~$128k) on caring activities. Besides giving 1,850 gifts to employees of the whole unit, the company also donated 120 more gifts to sanitation workers and workers in difficult circumstances, 90 portions of gifts for employees who have retired in the last 3 years, etc. The company also provided food support for employees from December 23 to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
source: collected from the Internet