The people's heartfelt sentiments

"I earnestly request that the National Assembly and the Government consider adjusting the basic salary increase immediately from January 1, 2026, without waiting until mid-year" - the opinion of delegate Tran Quoc Tuan during the National Assembly's socio-economic discussion session last week has prompted much reflection. This delegate clearly stated that with a basic salary of 2.34 million VND, even with a higher coefficient, the actual income of many young civil servants is only enough to cover expenses from the beginning of the month until the 20th...

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Salaries are a never-ending topic on many forums. Looking back over the past 20 years, we have seen 14 increases in the basic salary, the most recent being on July 1, 2024, when the basic salary was raised to 2.34 million VND/month, an increase of 540,000 VND compared to the previous 1.8 million VND, the highest ever.

However, this increase has not brought much positive impact to salaried employees. Because most salary increases only compensate for inflation, many still say that "salaries are chasing prices." When income is insufficient to cover expenses, civil servants are forced to find ways to maintain their lives, from taking on extra work to adjusting family spending.

In the context of increasing budgetary burdens, salary adjustments are always a difficult problem. However, a delay in increasing the base salary may not necessarily directly affect macroeconomic indicators; on the contrary, it could cause many dedicated civil servants to leave the state apparatus, leading to negative consequences for public administration efficiency and the quality of service to the people.

Therefore, salary increases need to be viewed from both a financial perspective and as an investment in the quality of the public service. A living wage helps civil servants maintain integrity, feel secure in their work, and avoid negative "escape routes."

Therefore, salary reform is not simply about reallocating the budget, but about re-establishing a fair measure between responsibility and reward, between rights and obligations.

Wage increases are only truly meaningful when accompanied by measures to control inflation and improve labor productivity. If "wages haven't gone up, but prices have," reform efforts will fall into a vicious cycle. Only when the currency maintains its real value will wage increases improve the quality of life.

At the same time, a reasonable salary policy also motivates civil servants to improve work efficiency and creativity in performing their duties, thereby contributing to promoting overall socio-economic development.

The proposal for an early salary increase is a matter of policy and a demonstration of empathy and understanding for those who are keeping the state apparatus running, helping to ensure that trust and dedication do not diminish with the end-of-month bills. As Representative Tran Quoc Tuan emphasized: This is not just a story about salaries, but a reflection of the people's sentiments, the common heartbeat of a system that desperately needs renewed energy.

When officials have a decent living wage, they can serve with peace of mind; when civil servants are not burdened by the cost of food and clothing, they can dedicate themselves more easily, leading to a more efficient functioning of the public administration, fully meeting the expectations of the people, and creating a solid foundation for sustainable development policies.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202511/su-gui-gam-cua-long-dan-5cc0105/