Minimum wage should double: trade unions
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/free_Minimum.htm

The minimum wage should double so that low-income earners can survive in the face of rising inflation, according to the Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU).

LFTU President Khamla Lorlonesy told Vientiane Times recently that the inflation rate keeps increasing every month but people have to survive on the same wage.

“Now the minimum wage is 348,000 kip per month and if allowances are included a labourer can earn about 500,000 kip per month,” he said.

“I see many people struggling to cope on such a low wage. I think the minimum wage should be set at one million kip per month, or at least 700,000 kip a month.”

At the end of 2010, the LFTU, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry agreed in principle to increase the minimum wage but failed to agree by how much.

The three bodies planned to meet in March this year but the meeting was delayed as they could not agree on a time.

The LFTU has sent officials to learn from Vietnam's experiences in wage levels and working conditions before deciding on its final proposed increase to the minimum wage.

“We are setting up a team to study what the exact percentage increase to the minimum wage should be. The study should take about a month,” Mr Khamla said.

“We expect to hold a meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss the matter in August before submitting a proposal to the government for approval.”

Mr Khamla said the new minimum wage may come into effect next April.

He accepted that efforts to increase the minimum wage have seen little progress despite ever higher inflation, which hit 9.24 percent in April, the highest level recorded in four years.

Economists have warned that any increase in the minimum wage should be less than the inflation rate to avoid adverse effects on exports.

The government approved a proposal to increase the minimum wage from 290,000 kip to 348,000 kip per month in 2009, the first increase for several years.

Laos has an inadequate supply of skilled labour but an oversupply of unskilled labour.

Many business operators take advantage of this by offering low wages, leading many thousands of people to leave the country and seek employment in Thailand.

Most industry analysts agree that training in job skills should be an urgent priority for the government as part of efforts to address the problem.

The proportion of the labour force employed in agriculture is projected to drop from 78.5 percent in 2005 to 70 percent in 2015.

The number of workers in the industrial sector is forecast to rise from 4.8 percent in 2005 to about 7 percent in 2015, and those working in the services sector will jump from 16.7 percent in 2005 to 23 percent in 2015.

Dumbfounded question bu what do you all think is a 'typical' monthly payment for each of these necessities in Vientaine?

Mortgage/Rent=
Electricity/Gas/Water=
Groceries=
Health=

I do not think people can protest at all because of the obvious reason.

PEACE wrote on 10^th Jun, 2011 at 3:27am:


If you are going to protesting in Laos, you need to buy yourself a life insurance then go for it, make your families in the states happy. I knew this for fact.

Laos is the mess from the beginning and presently the smartass (corrupt Officials) are doing the best to correct as much as they can before theirs term is ran out. That how it is.

We are the most worthless spices in this planet earth. I know some of you guys will disagree with me, but look at big pictures.

Goood luckk tooo Keow and Jex. They are the one going to eat us all.