Transcript Current Situations of the Migrant Domestic Helpers in Hong

Current Situations of the Migrant
Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong
Jakcie:Any Demography?
1. Striving for right to abode in Hong Kong
Some pictures or description?
Helpers chase a permanent place in city
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Some of about 290,000 domestic workers could become permanent
residents if five Filipinos are successful in a judicial review in the High Court
next month. The five have lived in Hong Kong for more than seven years and
are challenging the Immigration Ordinance.
One of their legal representatives said yesterday the ordinance does not
follow the Basic Law, which grants those who have lived in the SAR for
seven years the right to apply for permanent residency. One of the group, he
said, has worked here for 25 years and applied without success for
permanent residence in 2008.
According to the ordinance, domestic workers do not qualify for permanent
residence irrespective of their length of stay. But Article 24 of the Basic Law
states that those who have entered with valid travel documents and have
been residents for a continuous period of at least seven years can become
permanent residents.
University of Hong Kong social work and social administration professor
Leung Cho-bun said most domestic helpers are young, and should they get
permanent residence they would likely quit household work and try to enter
the broad job market. That would put them in direct competition with locals.
(Standard News, 2011-07-11)
2. Striving for wage of dignity
Some pictures or description?
Live-in maids, student interns not
covered by minimum wage bill
The statutory minimum wage bill will not include live-in domestic
helpers and student interns and is to be submitted to the
Legislative Council next month.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung said these
workers also enjoyed free accommodation, food, medical
treatment and passage from and to their home countries. "To
provide additional safeguards, the government has, since the
early 1970s, prescribed for foreign domestic helpers a minimum
allowable wage, currently at HK$3,580,“……
The Asian Migrant Workers Credit Union said it was still
considering whether to seek a judicial review against the
government
(South China Morning Post, 2009-6-25)
Gi Estrada, Area Coordinator of the
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants
''We view these recommendations as unjust,
discriminatory and anti-migrant. In effect it allows
employers to let FDHs work for 16 hours a day as this
is the basis of the board in concluding that they would
be paid HK$12,480 a month. This is slave-like to say
the least and they are on 24-hour call. But more than
that, workers of all nationalities in Hong Kong and
elsewhere should be given wages that will provide
them and their families with a decent way of living
unlike those who adhere to free-market policies who
share the opposite view. ''
(Standard News, 2009-4-14)
Group ready to challenge
minimum wage law
"We will launch a legal battle against the government on the grounds
of discrimination if migrant workers are not included by the statutory
minimum wage," union co-ordinator Sari Canate Jotojot said. She
also said the government should prescribe standard working hours
for foreign domestic helpers as the minimum wage was calculated
on an hourly basis. The union said it would write to the government
seeking a meeting. "We are not too worried that the employment
opportunities of migrant workers will be affected if they are covered
by the statutory minimum wage, as there is a strong demand for their
services in Hong Kong. It is more important to protect workers'
rights," Ms Jotojot said.
(South China Morning Post, 2009-3-31)
Foreign maids win pay rise
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Pay for Hong Kong's army of foreign domestic helpers goes up
by HK$160 to HK$3,740 from today. The 4.5 percent increase
is their biggest lift in years, though it does no more than keep
pace with inflation. Additionally, a food allowance was raised
by HK$25, or 3.3 percent, to HK$775 a month.
Group spokeswoman Eni Lestari, who is also chairwoman of
the Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Hong Kong,
said: ``It's better than last year, but in 1998 the wage was
HK$3,860 and [goods then] were not as expensive as now.''
She added: ``We may have more money but we can buy less
things. HK$4,000 should be the minimum wage. The
government owes [us] a lot.'‘……
The government has frozen the levy until July 30, 2013, to
ease inflationary pressure on employers. Balladares also said
the increased food allowance would only impact ``1 percent of
helpers.''
(Standard News, 2011-6-2)
3. Striving for Rights and Respect
Some pictures or description?
Home helpers deserve a law
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There are around 2.6 million domestic workers in Indonesia,
and, as in Hong Kong, these workers play a vital role in the
household and overall economy. Yet Amnesty International has
received many reports of domestic workers in Indonesia being
subjected to physical and psychological abuse, as well as
economic exploitation.
Domestic workers are isolated, work out of the public eye,
and have low social status. And, they do not receive the same
legal protection as other workers under Indonesia's Manpower
Act, such as a reasonable limitation on working hours, and
holidays.
The drafting of a domestic workers protection bill was
scheduled for last year, but has been repeatedly postponed.
(Sarah Carmichael, Amnesty International Hong Kong, edited by
South China Morning Post, 2011-2-15)
Irrational Angers towards domestic Helpers
Vicky Casia said some employers have changed their attitudes
toward their helpers.
Leny Galima said her employer was understanding but she
experienced hatred on the street. ``Someone shouted `Filipinos are
rubbish' at me,'' she said. ``I felt bad and sad.''
Lucy Aquino said she tried to hide the fact she was Filipino when
she took her employer's parents to hospital.......
(Standard News, 2010-8-30)