For millions of factory workers in Vietnam, earning a stable income was already challenging before the announcement of substantial tariffs by the U.S. government on products made in the country.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Hanh juggled two factory jobs, working six days a week for nearly a year after her husband lost his employment in 2023. She had no alternative but to support their four children and ensure they remained in school.
"It was an extremely tough period," said Ms. Hanh, 40. Although her husband has since returned to full-time factory work, the looming threat of a 46 percent tariff on Vietnamese imports to the United States continues to cast a shadow over their family, who live in modest concrete housing on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City.
"We endured that hardship once — I hope never to face it again," Ms. Hanh added. She currently earns $577 monthly as a line manager overseeing 138 workers who produce shoes for brands such as Nike and the French company Salomon.
Anxiety permeates the factory floor, alive with the sound of sewing machines stitching shoe materials destined for the U.S. market. Although the U.S. government temporarily suspended the tariff for 90 days, the uncertainty of its potential reinstatement is already undermining Vietnam’s economic momentum, which heavily depends on manufacturing goods for American consumers.
