Minimum Wage Policy Conference

Today we were honored to be invited to join leading scholars, researchers, economists, and activists for the Vietnamese Minimum Wage conference hosted at TDTU. At this two day conference, scholars and researchers discussed the economics and logistics behind the setting and effectiveness of a minimum wage policy. Some presentations focused on theoretical research about the effects of minimum wage, including findings that generally increasing the minimum wage does not lead to significant job loss. Other presentations detailed research on the effects of previous minimum wage increases compiled from interviews with Vietnamese workers.

The overwhelming consensus was that Vietnam needs to set a minimum wage that is also a living wage, providing workers and their families with the means to a decent standard of living, and shrinking the wage gap and growing inequality that Vietnamese citizens are facing. The most difficult part of this discourse is how best to go about doing this. Many scholars agreed that the policies must shift away from minimum wage policy and towards the establishment of autonomous unions and collective bargaining. Unfortunately, because of the current labor relations system in Vietnam, autonomous unions and collective bargaining are not a viable option. Therefore, many scholars professed their belief that a higher minimum wage must be set by the government, coupled with more stringent enforcement in order to protect the most vulnerable of Vietnamese workers.

Veronika speaking at the Minimum Wage Conference

Later in the evening, we attended our first argumentation and debate class. During class, we collaborated with Vietnamese students in order to practice and sharpen our argumentation, persuasion, and public speaking skills. The class offers a great chance for Vietnamese students to practice their English speaking skills. We learned the skeleton of how to form an effective argument, which includes logos, pathos, and ethos. We then practiced a fun and light debate exercise to ease us into the practice of argumentation and persuasion.

Debate Workshop

It was a long, tiring day, many of our peers retired for the night to rest up for the next day of activities, but Nate, Veronica, and I accompanied some TDTU students to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant for some sour Pho. The food was delicious and we all finished our dishes in a matter of minutes. — Devon