Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen said that officials of Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) Group should reconsider their statement that VND7 million ($350) wage is inadequate for living in cities.

 

On November 19, General Director of the EVN Group, Pham Le Viet Thanh, said that besides over VND10 trillion ($476 million) of loss in non-power business fields, which has been cut down to VND8 trillion, the group incurs an additional VND15 trillion owing to exchange rate gap. If EVN is not permitted to raise electricity price, the group will be unable to pay debts.

 

The official also disclosed that the average income of the power sector’s employees in 2009 was VND7.3 million (nearly $400) and said he was “heart-broken” when his employees earn only that sum.

 

According to Thanh, this wage is “quite low”, which is only enough in the countryside and is “inadequate” for those who live in urban areas.

 

The general director’s statement has surprised many people, who are doctors, university lecturers, engineers because the wage is too high.

 

Le Thanh, a university lecture, said that he dreams of the wage that makes EVN general director “heart-breaking” because he currently earns VND3.1 million ($150) of monthly wage, with ten years of experience.

 

Nguyen Thi My Dung, a chemist, said that a pharmacist with university diploma like her earns less than VND5 million ($250) per month while a pharmaceutical worker is paid less than VND3 million a month. “If a VND7.3 million wage is insufficient to live in cities. How can workers who earn VND3 million a month live? Perhaps they all die?”

 

Most readers agree that in 2009, when inflation was not high, a VND7.3 million wage is the dream of many people. Many public servants earn approximately VND2 million ($100) a month, at present.

 

Staffs at courts, who have 5-10 years experience, earn only VND3 million per month. Doctors, who are 10-25 years of experience and have master degree, have income of VND4-5 million per month.

 

Many readers said their salary is only equivalent to a half of EVN’s employees and they live in cities but they can afford to support their families.

 

Most of readers said that EVN should reconsider itself because in comparison with the society’s average, its wage in 2009 is very high than the current wage in many sectors.

 

Reader Tran Tien Dung said he has worked for nearly 40 years in a state department in Hanoi but his monthly income is less than VND6 million ($300).

 

Many people said they are voluntary to join EVN to have a ‘hard life’ like this group of workers. Some even said that they are willing to receive only VND6 million a month, VND1.3 million less than EVN’s average wage in 2009.

 

Many people also questioned: EVN claims heavy losses but why it still pays high wage to employees and still have capital to invest in telecommunications, real estate and banking sectors?

 

They are worried that EVN’s complain of heavy loss would pave the way for increasing electricity price.

 

“If EVN keeps raising electricity price to compensate losses incurred from non-power projects and to increase salary to EVN’s staffs, the power price will keep rising unceasingly,” a reader wrote.

 

Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen said frankly that EVN’s official should reconsider his statement because the current minimum salary for staffs of businesses is VND2 million ($100) a month.

 

“If EVN works at loss but it pays high salary, it is unacceptable,” Chuyen said.

 

The Minister said that wage must be appropriate with economic development and the Ministry may inspect wage salary at EVN and other organizations.

 

While many people disagreed with EVN General Director’s statement, some have sympathy with him, saying that Thanh made the statement as the leader of the power sector.

 

“Perhaps EVN set higher goal of average income. Once it fails to reach the target, the leader may feel sad,” a reader commented.

 

Some readers said that EVN should be encouraged to pay high salary to its staffs. “I want to be able to live by my wage and to focus my mind in my job because I know that I don’t have to seek my daily’s food,” a reader said.

 

A high-ranking official of EVN explained to VNExpress that workers of the power sector work hard and they have to face danger at work. He said that the public should not sharply criticize Thanh’s statement because as the top leader, he has to take care of his employees.

 

Vo Quoc Thang, Chairman of Dong Tam JS Company, said VND7.3 million wage is not high if all EVN’s employees are university graduates.

 

Economist Pham Chi Lan said she was surprised because in 2009, EVN’s average wage was up to VND7.3 million while at the same time, many public servants, doctors, engineers could live with VND4-5 million a month.

 

According to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the average wage of workers in 2009 is VND2.84 million a month. Per capital income of Vietnamese in 2010 was only VND1.387 million a month and VND3.4 million for the group of richest families.

 

In 2010, the fields that ranked top for average wage include: mining and metallurgy with VND9.2 million/month; banking VND7.6 million; pharmaceutical industry VND7 million; electronics and telecoms VND5.5 million. That of garments, footwear, food processing industries was only VND2.1-2.3 million/month.

 

Thus, EVN’s average wage in 2009 is equivalent to that of the group of highest wage in 2010.

 

Vietnamnet/ Thu Anh