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Hong Kong: FADWU Rally for Wage Increase

Hong Kong: FADWU Rally for Wage Increase

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by IDWFED published Sep 01, 2013 02:55 PM
FADWU, Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions comprising of migrant and local domestic workers with different nationalities, rallied to Central Government Office on Sept 1, 2013. They demand for Wage Increase.
  • Hong Kong: FADWU Rally for Wage Increase
  • 2013-09-01T00:00:00+00:00
  • 2013-09-01T23:59:59+00:00
  • FADWU, Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions comprising of migrant and local domestic workers with different nationalities, rallied to Central Government Office on Sept 1, 2013. They demand for Wage Increase.
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Sep 01, 2013 (Universal / UTC0)
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HONG KONG -

FADWU, Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions comprising of migrant and local domestic workers with different nationalities, rallied to Central Government Office on Sept 1, 2013. They demand for Wage Increase.

    
Photos: FADWU

Press statement in English:

Migrant Domestic Workers Fight for Wage Increase

  The Migrant Domestic Workers’ Minimum allowable wage has only increased for HK$60 in 15 years.

   Since 1998, the minimum allowable wage of migrant domestic workers was cut and frozen for many times. Their wage level in recent years is just $60 higher than that in 1998. Migrant domestic workers are shouldering the family burden back home and high living cost in Hong Kong as well. They release labor power of the Hong Kong economy by taking care of children and elderly in Hong Kong, household routines of HK families. But in return they are receiving extremely low salary. The avarage working hours for MDWs is 12-16 hrs per day, so, their hourly wage is only $11 - $13, under the monthly salary $3920.

   Migrant Domestic Workers are forced to be a live-in workers, which is excluded by “Minimum Wages Ordinance”, so their wage cannot be reviewed with other workers. From MPF to minimum wages ordinance, Migrant Domestic Workers are excluded from local labour protection. Therefore, wage of migrant domestic workers is decided by “Minimum Allowable Wage” system, which is not transparent and cannot be monitored.

   Moreover, the “food allowance” stated at Standard Contract is only $875, $29 a day. And the employers can provide this “allowance” without providing any food. This is far from satisfactory for fulfilling the basic needs of any individual in HK nowadays. Migrant domestic workers are live-in workers who are 24 hours on call, and work 16 hours per day in average. Government should raise the food allowance to a reasonable level and indicate the calculation method. We demand doubling the food allowance to $1500 per month.

  Representing four nationalities of migrant domestic workers’ unions, FADWU demand for:

  1. Annual review on Minimum allowable wage
  2. Transparency of Minimum allowable wage machanisim
  3. Abolish the exclusion of live-in domestic worker in Minimum Wage Ordinance
  4. At least 8% wage increase in 2013
  5. Increase the amount of food allowance

      
Photos: FADWU

Press statement in Chinese:

工資十五年不漲 外籍家務工工會續爭加薪

  十五年來,外籍家務工的工資僅長60元。

   自1998年起,為外籍家務工而設的「規定最低工資」經歷了數次扣減、凍薪,至近年才稍稍回復到比當年僅高60元一個月的水平。在港的外籍家務工,同樣 面對養家的壓力,和承受香港的物價。多年以來在香港攜老扶幼,為港人家庭打理家務,令香港的經濟釋放大量勞動力,卻只賺取微簿的薪金。現在,外籍家務工平 均工時為每日12至16小時,由此計算,領月薪$3920的外籍家務工實際上的時薪只有 $11- $13左右。

   外籍家務工被逼成為留宿家務工,因而被排除在《最低工資條例》之外,工資水平不能與其他工種同步檢討。由《強積金條例》到《最低工資條例》,香港政府處 處將外籍家務工排除在本地工人的權益之外。由是,令外籍家務工的工資一直由不透明、不受監管的「規定最低工資」制度決定。

   此外,標準僱傭合約中訂明的「食物津貼」最低限額僅僅是$875,平均每日只有$29,而僱主可以在不提供任何食物予家務工的情況下,給予這津貼了事。 在物價飛漲的今日,是完全不足以維生的。外傭留宿工作,廿四小時隨時候命,平均工作每天16小時,政府應計算合理食物津貼水平,表明計算方法。我們認為, 食物津貼至少提升一倍至$1,500。

  本會代表在港四大國籍的外籍家務工,要求政府落實:

  1. 「規定最低工資」一年一檢;
  2. 增加「規定最低工資」的透明度;
  3. 取消《最低工資條例》中排除留宿家務工的規定;
  4. 今年度加薪不少於8%;
  5. 增加食物津貼。

More information:

  1. (Video) 工會倡外傭加薪8% | 蘋果日報
  2. 外傭團體遊行促加薪8% | 新報
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