Employers in Hong Kong like to pride themselves on treating maids with dignity and compassion compared to the Middle East. But in a gossip column published on am730 earlier this month, a writer known simply as CK eavesdropped on a conversation about domestic workers at a birthday party.
He reported that one local employer bragged about how “nice” she had been to her new Filipino maid. She also pointed out that her domestic worker was her “seventh or eighth” in the past few years.
“I am her savior,” she said, referring to the maid’s last job in the Middle East, where she worked for a family of 10 and started work at 4am every day.
During the two years the maid worked in the Middle East, she was not allowed to take any holidays. “I have saved her from hell, so she can enjoy a good life in Hong Kong,” the employer told friends.
Yet these are just the basic human rights that all people deserve, CK said in his article. Domestic workers should not be treated as bonded servants, forced to work long hours without days off and holidays, he pointed out.
“Chinese employers should express their gratitude and be loyal to their domestic workers,” CK wrote. “They should treat their employees well and become better people.”
I’ve been from Kuwait, they’re just the same. Difference is that most employers in the middle East didn’t even know how to speak English, yet we share the same centralised aircon.. our rooms didn’t have machine dryer For they knew it’s not good for health, we’re eating the same food we cooked…no big deal about our holidays or day off…Becoz what do you expect with an uneducated people..
Here in HK ..they’re boasting about being HIGHLY PROFESSIONALS, ..why they’re complaining if their kids were thinner while they’re kept budgeting to the minimum lowest..they can’t eat this, they can’t eat that..that’s why they even do that to the poor maid…hello??…we get up at 5am without resting until our bedtime.. non-stop..can’t we just have some decency of the food intake?..it’s our energy booster..try to imagine how far away we are from our families..for the sake of dollars…we must bare everything..our emotions, our psychological aspects..hralth
..etc..32 dollars food allowance c’mon guys…is it fair as professionals doing?..Common sense guys..you’re good of following what the contract is about…? as professionals…you knew 8 hrs is exhausting…with babies kids and their homeworks, it’s all our job… we’re not complaining, we’re here for the battle…expand your horizons, we’re also professional like you and intellectually capacitated of doing professional tasks.
All employers were the same.wgetger ub middle east or Hongkong..it depends on how you will apply your COMPASSION and COMMON SENSE and PROFESSIONALISM.
CAUSED "WE" ARE PROFESSIONAL DOMESTIC HELPERS BEARING THE TOUGHEST .. EVEN IF ITS NOT OUR JOB (NURTURING KIDS, MONITORING THEIR DIETS, NURSING THEM, TEACHING).. WE’RE DOING IT WITHIUT COMPLAIN…????????????PEACE????????????
Hope all of the employers here in hk can do thesamething like what you did cheers
Very well said kabayan.
How I wish!
If you treat your helper nicely and good you (employer) should not brag about it, as if your helper must take it as priveledge and look up to you as their savior…. Its your responsibility to treat your employee as fair and equal as a human being…. Your helper is not your slave, they are there to help you in your household because you couldn’t to it by yourselves alone!!
I am with you
You know if you treat your staff well they will return to work for you for more years, if they do not extend their contract then it goes to show how poor you are.
so blessed you Are!if im her maid i can serve her even how many she likes????
If you think that you are a good employer .. How many time you change your helper??? A good employer just once you hired your helper until you need her but … You always change your maid after several time . For me I deserved to put on the list my employer as the best employer in the whole world they have a big heart very very good employer I’m working with them for 25 years until now I’m so lucky and I’m very proud of them bieng one of the best ….
Then this should not be..report it to the immigration.hehe
True
Yun nga d dapat boastful
Pa tattoo din aq ms.san ka mhahanap sa central hihi
Well said
Employers shouldn’t be the one that is proud of how they treat the helpers,it would be nice if the helpers would be the ones voicing it out,like what i will be doing right now,My employer allows me to sleep 8 or 9 hours everyday,my toiletries are all free even expensive beauty prouducts were shared with me,from undies to all kind of clothing i need she would provide it for me,from expensive cakes,fruits meat, everything inside the fridge are available for me to eat,she never question the market money that shes giving even i dont show any receipt,her generosity is beyond compare,just this year i have sent 6XL boxes to Philippines that was provided by her effort and generosity,she would even share 70% of the shipment fee and buy stuffs for my kids,She also pays me more than my basic salary and give me extras during special occasions like birthday or Christmas or new year aside from presents,i have a 24hour free wifi and shes paying my telephone bill including mobile data,she allows me to use my phone anytime i want but ofcourse i knew my limitations,she never humiliate me nor nag on me,she respects me like a friend,she treats me.like a family,we do eat meals together and talks like family during meal time,she even use my used spoon since we are sharing with dessert,she pays my off days and special holidays upon my request because i don’t want to take holiday,when i take my holiday she would tell me to wear my best outfit and make my self pretty like putting on make up so i would look decent when im with my cousins,and importantly when she knows that i am very2 tired because of a hectic day she would give me a back massage since she is a physical therapist,now i hope u could elaborate here what kindness you are doing on your helper so that i would believe on you,PEACE
Let others praise you madam employer, not you lifting up your own self. If you really were that good, your maid would have done the bragging.
congratulations!
exactly
When you leave dirty dishes and make so much mess on your helpers day off, expecting them to do the work when they come home, some employers are even shameless to demand that their helpers should resume work right after they comeback, what is there to brag about? Most employers in HK are shameless with a very few exceptions. And this is the horrible truth in a helpers life here in HK.
Don’t fool us madam,u can fool ur friend’s but not us.You saved her from hell?lol..dah…impress the Lord don’t impress ur friend’s.