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Hong Kong: Domestic workers' groups demand for wage increase

Hong Kong: Domestic workers' groups demand for wage increase

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by IDWFED published Sep 02, 2015 12:00 AM
Sept 2, local domestic workers' groups had a meeting with the representatives from the Labour Department on the issue of wage increase.

Details

HONG KONG -

Full statement by FADWU in English:

Fair to Migrant Domestic Workers! Wage Increase Now!

2.9.2015

MDWs wages haven’t caught up with inflation

MDWs contribute to Hong Kong economy. They take care of children and the elderly for local families, release manpower of local people. However, they receive extremely low wages. MDWs have their families burden in their home countries. On the other hand, they also suffer from the high inflation rate in Hong Kong. Nowadays, the hourly rate of MDWs is only $12 - $19 (work 8-16 hours per day). This is extremely low comparing to local workers. From 2006 to now, the Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) of MDWs increased only around $700. While the inflation in the same period is more than 68%(I), in terms of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

MDWs need decent living as locals

For many years, Hong Kong Government refused to answer a simple question - how can a migrant domestic worker get enough food with the shameful amount of food allowance? Currently, food allowance per month, if food is not provided by employers, is $964. Low amount of food allowance send a wrong message to Hong Kong public and the employers that domestic workers needs less food than their employers.

The minimum expenditure of food should be around $1600 per month, according to a research done by Oxfam-HK(II). This is the minimum amount of money for a person to get nutritionally balanced food. We thus urge the government to increase food allowance to HK$1600, to protect workers from hunger, and to also send a correct message to the employers-- workers also need to eat like other human being.

Include live-in domestic workers in the Minimum Wage Ordinance

Migrant Domestic Workers are excluded by “Minimum Wages Ordinance”. It makes their wage cannot be reviewed like other workers. From the Mandatory Provident Fund to the Minimum Wages Ordinance, domestic workers have always been excluded from proper social protection. The wage of MDWs is decided without transparency and objective standard.

Migrants workers are workers. Domestic work is work. We strongly demand the Hong Kong government to include live-in domestic workers in minimum wages ordinance.

In the past two years, Matthew Cheung has promised to regulate employment agency. However, the promise has not yet came true. The government should consult represented organizations and unions in order to launch new regulations on employment agencies.

On behalf of all migrant domestic workers, we demand:

  •  Increase the minimum allowable wages to $4500.
  •  Increase the amount of monthly food allowance to $1600.
  •  Disclose the circulation of minimum allowable wage.
  •  Include migrant domestic workers in the coverage of the Minimum Wages Ordinance.
  •  Government should consult represented organizations and unions before launch any new laws on employment agencies.

(I) Datas of Consumer Price Index (A)
(II) P.8, Study on the Basic Cost of Living and the Poverty Line, Oxfam-HK

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Full statement by FADWU in Chinese:

尊嚴工作 合理加薪
香港亞洲家務工工會聯會就規定最低工資之立場書

外籍家務工對香港經濟貢獻良多,為港人家庭照顧老幼、釋放港人勞動力;然而,所得的工資卻是極之低微。其實,外籍家務工同樣有家庭負擔,需要足夠的薪金養 家;同時亦負擔在港的通脹成本。現在,她們的時薪只有約$12 - $19(以每日工時8/16小時計算),遠遠低於在港的最低工資。2006年至今,外籍家務工的「規定最低工資」只增長了約七百元;可是,以甲類消費物價 指數計算,在同一年期的通脹,單單計算「非酒精飲品及食品」一項,已近68%之多(I)。

外籍家務工與本地人同樣有權得到溫飽

多年來,香港政府都迴避一個問題--外籍家務工如何能以極低的食物津貼得到溫飽?現時的食物津貼只有$964,如此低微的津貼只會向社會及僱主發放錯誤訊息,令人誤以為外籍家務工對食物的需要比其他人少。須知道,現行政策之下,支付食物津貼的僱主並不需要供應食物。

根據一項樂施會的調查(II),在港生活的最低食物開支約是每月$1600。這是一個攝取均衡營養的人,每月最少須作的食物開支。因此,我們認為政府應將食物開支提升至$1600,以免家務工們受飢餓之苦,亦向社會發放正確訊息,家務工亦需要跟其他人一樣的食物量。

最低工資條例不應豁免住宿家務工

外籍家務工豁免於《最低工資條例》,令她們的工資長年不能與本地工人一樣,得到定期檢討。由強積金條例到最低工資條例,家務工往往都不受保障,其他工種所 享有的社會保障一概全無。而外籍家務工的工資卻是由一個毫無透明度,而且缺乏客觀準則的機制所決定的。移工也是工人、家務工作是工作。我們要求香港政府將 住家家務工重新納入最低工資條例的保障範圍,別再歧視家務工作,應給予家務勞動應得的價值。

監管中介公司 刻不容緩

經過多宗外傭嚴重受虐事件,香港政府在過去兩年信誓旦旦會加強對中介公司的監管,新措施至今只聞樓梯響,遲遲未見實施。政府應就此與本會及在港家務工團體會面諮詢,廣納民意,為監管中介公司諮詢業界意見。

我們要求:

  • 外籍家務工的規定最低工資增至$4500;
  • 將她們的食物津貼增至$1600;
  • 公開「規定最低工資」的計算方法;
  • 將住家家務工納入最低工資條例的保障範圍。
  • 就監管中介公司的政策諮詢在港的外籍家務工組織及工會。

(I) 甲類消費物價指數  
(II) 樂施會報告

2015年9月2日

Source: FADWU

Story Type: News

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