Migrants press for return of $3,670
GILDA MEDINA BERNAL HONG KONG
Adelina Asuncion, a foreign domestic worker in Lai
King, was cleaning the toilet when her lady
employer banged on the door and shouted “Lina,
you will get $80 more pay every month so make
sure the toilet is very clean, or else no $80.”
Instead of saying thanks, Asuncion shrugged off
the news of an additional pay, as well as her
employer’s threat and muttered to herself “what’s
$80 going to buy me except for one McDonald
meal every Sunday? Ano yan, extra bayad para
malinis ko ang maruming banyo?”
Many foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong
share Asuncion’s sentiment over the government’s
recent wage increase of $80 for the more than
200,000 workers in Hong Kong.
“It’s an insult to us,” Eni Lestari, spokesperson of
the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, told Filipino
Globe.
AMCB is a group of domestic workers from the
Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and
Nepal.
Lestari said the 2.4 per cent increase now makes
the minimum allowable wage $3,480, still $190
short of the amount in 2003 levels that they have
been demanding.
In 2003, the government slashed the minimum
wage of $3,670 by $400. It also slapped a $400
monthly levy on the employers of domestic workers.
“We want a significant increase, we want what was
taken from us in 2003,” Lestari said.
“Eighty dollars is not commensurate to the amount
of work that we do, the hours that we work, and
even our contribution to the Hong Kong society.”
While workers feel shortchanged by the wage
increase, the Hong Kong Employers of Domestic
Helpers Association think otherwise.
“We disagree with the recent wage increase,” says
Joseph Law, chairman of the association. “It was
done preemptively and was not justified.”
Law said there was no strong economic indicators
that would back up the government’s action to
raise the salary of domestic workers.
He said domestic workers received an increase of
$50 and $80 in 2005 and 2006, even if local
workers did not receive any.
“We believe that this year’s wages should be
frozen,” Law said, adding the association will
submit a proposal to the government to stop the
yearly review of minimum wages.
“The annual review is not necessary. Unless there
are indicators like a strong GDP growth that
translates to a better life for the employers and
local workers, then that would justify a review,” he
said.
Asuncion is not sold on the idea. “Even if the
increase is only enough to buy one McDo meal on
my day off, it’s better than not to have any meal at
all,” Asuncion says.
GILDA MEDINA BERNAL HONG KONG
Adelina Asuncion, a foreign domestic worker in Lai
King, was cleaning the toilet when her lady
employer banged on the door and shouted “Lina,
you will get $80 more pay every month so make
sure the toilet is very clean, or else no $80.”
Instead of saying thanks, Asuncion shrugged off
the news of an additional pay, as well as her
employer’s threat and muttered to herself “what’s
$80 going to buy me except for one McDonald
meal every Sunday? Ano yan, extra bayad para
malinis ko ang maruming banyo?”
Many foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong
share Asuncion’s sentiment over the government’s
recent wage increase of $80 for the more than
200,000 workers in Hong Kong.
“It’s an insult to us,” Eni Lestari, spokesperson of
the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, told Filipino
Globe.
AMCB is a group of domestic workers from the
Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and
Nepal.
Lestari said the 2.4 per cent increase now makes
the minimum allowable wage $3,480, still $190
short of the amount in 2003 levels that they have
been demanding.
In 2003, the government slashed the minimum
wage of $3,670 by $400. It also slapped a $400
monthly levy on the employers of domestic workers.
“We want a significant increase, we want what was
taken from us in 2003,” Lestari said.
“Eighty dollars is not commensurate to the amount
of work that we do, the hours that we work, and
even our contribution to the Hong Kong society.”
While workers feel shortchanged by the wage
increase, the Hong Kong Employers of Domestic
Helpers Association think otherwise.
“We disagree with the recent wage increase,” says
Joseph Law, chairman of the association. “It was
done preemptively and was not justified.”
Law said there was no strong economic indicators
that would back up the government’s action to
raise the salary of domestic workers.
He said domestic workers received an increase of
$50 and $80 in 2005 and 2006, even if local
workers did not receive any.
“We believe that this year’s wages should be
frozen,” Law said, adding the association will
submit a proposal to the government to stop the
yearly review of minimum wages.
“The annual review is not necessary. Unless there
are indicators like a strong GDP growth that
translates to a better life for the employers and
local workers, then that would justify a review,” he
said.
Asuncion is not sold on the idea. “Even if the
increase is only enough to buy one McDo meal on
my day off, it’s better than not to have any meal at
all,” Asuncion says.
Eighty dollars is
not commensurate
to the amount of
work that we do,
the hours that we
work, and even our
contribution to the
Hong Kong society
not commensurate
to the amount of
work that we do,
the hours that we
work, and even our
contribution to the
Hong Kong society
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