MANILA – The Asian Migrants Coordinating Body said it was disappointed with Hong Kong’s meager increase in wages and allowance for foreign domestic workers in the former British colony.
The AMCB was demanding for HK$4,500 monthly wage and food allowance of HK$1,600, but Hong Kong’s Labor Department announced only an increase of HK$100 in minimum allowable wage and HK$44 in food allowance.
The increase raised the MAW to HK$4,110 and the food allowance to HK$964.
“This, however, is still far short from the call of FDWs to have their monthly wage increased to HK$4,500 and for the food allowance to HK$1,600 and our demand was already the minimum reasonable amount for FDWs to cope with the annual inflation in Hong Kong and the rise in prices that goes with it.”
“The recent decision is almost tantamount to a joke considering that, as we pointed out to the government, the wage of FDWs has only been increased by a measly 1.55% since the 1998 level,” Eni Lestari, AMCB spokesperson, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Lestari said that their call for a significant increase in the MAW is based on the inflation in Hong Kong throughout the years that has also greatly increased the prices of goods that FDWs patronize.
With more than 300,000 populations, Lestari said that FDWs are also a significant sector among the consumers in Hong Kong especially for food, clothing, transportation, telecommunication, leisure expenses during holidays as well as for their grooming needs.
“With all our direct and indirect contribution to Hong Kong’s economy, the government is still very much determined to maintain FDWs as one of the cheapest workers in Hong Kong. With how the government has been treating us the past years, there is no doubt in our minds that workers like us are not their first priority when it comes to coping with economic hardships,” she said.
Lestari said the increase in the food allowance is just equal to one meal and takes the total allowance to only a little above half of what they are demanding. She also hit the repeated lack of transparency of the government on the annual MAW review. She said that the consultation the Labor Department is always proving to be an “exercise in futility” as the decision does not take into account the position of FDW groups.
“Their announcement every year – whether increase, decrease or maintain – is like a standard document with standard lines. Where is the just reason? Where is the transparency?” she asked.
Lestari said that any increase in the MAW, including this year’s, is a result of the consistent campaigning of FDW groups and their supporters. She said that if the government will have their way, the wage of FDWs will even be lower than its already slave-like level.
“We shall continue our demand for a significant wage hike. We are workers and not slaves and deserve better treatment than what this government has been giving us. Even if has not yet ratified the ILO Convention No. 189 on domestic workers, Hong Kong – through China – still has an obligation to ensure that its policies on domestic workers are at par with international standards. The exclusion of FDWs from the statutory minimum wage already contravenes the spirit and letters of the convention,” she said.
Lestari said that future actions in relation to wage and labor issues of migrants will be conducted by their group. These, however, will be held at later dates “in deference” to the actions being conducted by local Chinese people.
Hong Kong’s central district has been locked down by hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters who are demanding universal suffrage and the resignation of Chief Executive C.Y. Leung because of his failure to stop Beijing interference into the political affairs of Hong Kong. (Mindanao Examiner)
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