In the recent time, prices of consumer goods are rising sharply, seriously affecting people’s daily lives – especially those of workers in HCMC’s Industrial and Export Processing Zones. 

Female workers prepare plain meals toghether in their rented room after hard working hours

 When asked about his daily meals these days, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan, a worker of A.C. Co. in Tan Thuan Processing Zone, said, “I never worried about eating. You see, I’ve worked all day in the factory and had my meals there. The meals were served by a catering company, and they used to be okay. But now, each serving only has two or three small pieces of meat, some sautéed vegetables and a small bowl of soup – not enough at all! I always feel too hungry to work!”

Not only Tuan but many other workers in the city are also worrying about the quality of their daily food and their health condition. Unfortunately, the situation doesn’t look to be improving anytime soon.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, a worker in H.P. Co. in Go Vap District, said, “Just a month ago, meals for workers were alright thanks to regular inspections by the Food Inspection Team, but now no one comes to the factory and the catering company is serving us nothing but some rice and simmered fish, saying that prices are shooting up. Since we don’t have much to eat, we always feel tired. If the situation continues, sooner or later we’ll all fall ill.”

In response to workers’ worries, a director of one food catering company in Tan Binh District said that the poor quality of catered food is also a headache for him at present and he still does not know how to improve the situation as prices of foodstuffs are facing a sharp increase. He added that food catering contracts are signed between him and employers on a yearly basis – if he wants to improve the quality of catered servings now, he will have to strike a new deal with them, but he does not think that they are willing to do so.

Due to the current escalation in prices, workers in HCMC’s Industrial/Export Processing Zones not only have to worry about their daily meals but also about their living conditions as their average monthly income ranging from VND800,000 to VND1,300,000 just helps them cover their basic daily expenses such as rentals, food and clothing. Ms. Le Thi Bay, a worker in the Tan Thuan Processing Zone, said, “Spending now goes beyond our monthly income. We have to borrow money when we fall sick, can’t go to work and have to pay for medicine. Just a few years ago, with the same income, I not only could support myself but put aside some money and send it back to my parents at home. There’s no way, now!”

Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat, a skilled worker in the Tan Binh Industrial Zone, earning nearly VND2 million per month, said, “My wife and I earn around VND3 million per month. With this income, we managed to save some money to buy a can of powdered milk for my three-year-old son every week, but we cannot afford it now as prices of dairy products rise. Two weeks ago, my son fell ill and we had to borrow money to take him to the hospital.”

Nhat revealed that his company had raised workers’ salaries, but there is still a wide gap between increased salaries and current market prices. He added that some of his colleagues coming from other provinces had no choice but to leave work behind and return to their hometowns, where they could rely on farming work. Living and working in the city now poses a risk to immigrants as they cannot save money, instead falling into debt when trouble knocks.