MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 23, 2013) – Foreign domestic workers under the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body have expressed their dissatisfaction on the consultation process conducted by the Hong Kong Labor Department in relation to the annual review of the Minimum Allowable Wage.
The Labor Commission invited organisations, unions and nongovernmental organizations for a series of meetings to get their views and position on the wage condition of foreign domestic workers.
Among the groups invited were the AMCB and its members, the Mission for Migrant Workers, Bethune House Migrant Women Refuge and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants.
But Eman Villanueva, a spokesperson for the AMCB, said they were disappointed with the consultations because of inadequate actions on the part of the organizers.
“We are gravely disappointed with these so-called consultations that we feel are inadequate and the government is just going through the motion in order to project that the decision that will come out is based on democratic consultation. We want a thorough, genuine and transparent consultation for the wage review,” Villanueva said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
Viullanueva said they shared their proposal for HK$4,500 monthly minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic workers and the basis for such position, including the inflation rate and cost of living in Hong Kong. And this position was also shared by other groups in the consultations, but officials of the Labor Commission told that they will consult other stakeholders on the review of the current wage.
“There was no further mention of how the actual review will go on and as to what standards will they be using to determine the wage level, and what will be the role of migrant organisations in the said process,” he asked.
Foreign domestic workers have repeatedly questioned the review process by which Hong Kong set its minimum wage. They said Hong Kong government has never been explicit in making known what they use to determine the monthly wage.
“The monthly allowable wage review has always been devoid of transparency, lacking in democracy, and has resulted to unjust decisions – from radical wage cuts, piecemeal increases, or increases that are not reflective of what is just and responsive to the condition of foreign domestic workers. We demand a review that is just, transparent and nor arbitrarily concluded. We demand a significant wage increase,” Villanueva said.
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