Domestic workers have been an integral part of Hong Kong’s community for a long time but the city has been facing a shortage of household helpers in recent years, and a key factor is employers’ poor treatment of their maids.
A commentary published in Apple Daily on Friday blamed local employers cause such shortage.
In the newspaper column, journalist Fan Wing-shum said domestic workers from the Philippines made up half of the 352,000 foreign workers in the city.
However, despite increasing demand, employment agents said fewer Filipinos were willing to come to Hong Kong. Part of the reason was the tightening labor export policy implemented by the Philippine government – but the main reason was the way local employers treat their workers, Fan said.
One female employer, purportedly is a “freak” about cleaning, would not allow an outsider to use the washing machine and told her maid to wash her own clothes by hand or at a laundry.
She also asked if the domestic could wash her clothes on her days off – and bear the fee on her own if she washes them at a laundry.
Another case involved a family of six living in a flat that was too small and had little space for the domestic worker, so the employer arranged for her to sleep in the kitchen, which was dangerous.
On top of that, the employer was a shift worker who went to the kitchen to make late-night snacks and thus disrupted the maid’s ability to get a decent night’s sleep.
Fan said there were too many troubling cases, such as the worker hit by her employer’s children and others involving maids who were overworked.
However, most domestic workers came to Hong Kong to work for a family and they had little choice but to tolerate as much as they could.
The writer appealed to employers not to be too harsh on their domestic workers.
Tama.. Ang Japan employers lahat ng oras na tinrabahi mu babayaran. Dito maraming offertime
At nang Pilipinas din lalo na yang nga training center.. Tini train nila ang mga applicant na tanggapin lahat ng pang aapi para daw pagdating dito makakaya na. I cannot really see the logic. They must train them to be a good helper but not a slave. Kahit sa pagkain ginugutom na ang mga trainees.. May mali sa mga training centers. Hindi lahat pero mali talaga na sabihin niyong tiisin kahit minamaltrato na kayo. Anong klaseng kabobohan yan.
Because some helpers just keep silent and never fought back. It is a repeated scenario that is why the employers thought no matter how they will treat their helpers they will not go because they needed the job. They forgot that as times goes by people are becoming wiser. That is why there’s a shortage because the helpers nowadays are really not afraid to speak out their minds. And besides there are lots of country out there. They can think superior for all they want but someday they will realize the value of the helpers in their lives when people are not interested to work for them anymore. God be with us.
Haha.. Thumbs up to that! Actually some of them are more ignorant/clueless than the helpers.
Exactly! That’s how narrow-minded they are. They are pitiful to be honest. We could always go back to our motherland and a loving family but they will stay as unhappy as they are. Happy people treat human beings with respect. But they aren’t. They are so pressured living here, surviving that they are making their helpers as their punching bag and outlet of their frustration because they feel so high and mighty over the helpers. Tsk! Tsk!
.Let us continue to have a good heart even if we are working here in a place full of discrimination. But please, to all helpers, don’t let them abuse you. Speak and fight if it is too much.
Most employers act as if they’re queen, terrible attitude of have that thinking themselves as high and mighty…they’re so insensitive..typical spoiled brat…so frustrating since their boasting as a HIGHLY EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS.
yet there are few that have a very satisfying attitude , kindness and humility.
Thats true there are lots of employers here in Hongkong treating their maids very unhuman and too harsh their reasons are they are employers and they are paying maids though it is unreasonable try to ask your money to To do the household.chores let us see if your money can do it by its own, try to do on your own if you can what your maid doing i doubt you cannot do it still you will ask for help on your maids to do chores be nice to your maids stop treatig maids very unhuman if you want your maids to stay longer in your house
Yeah. One thing more, Japan has bigger offer now, over time will be paid. So be carefull with your actions. But on the other hand, shortage of helper is good so parents will learn to takecare of their own child.
Anyways just expressing.
That is 100% true and correct..we came here to work not to be maltreated..we are a big help to your country most especially to your family..domestic works are easy and manageable.but the stress and homesick is another thing for us to deal with.employers cant manage household duties because of their lifestyle and atress feom work as well..
Gya ng amo ko dti s TKO, lhat dmit hnd wash s sofa Ntu2log ang kunyang, alas dos ng madaling araw ang Tlog, npakarumi ang tingin nya s ktulong, d nman myaman
When i read this…make me gratefull to my bos.i have good employer and full night sleep.can use everything and they are treat me
Well ????????????????
Another thing is… loaded kana sa trabaho ang baba pa ng sahod dito.kung maka demand akala mo kung sampong libo pasahod.e equate man lang Sana ang sahod sa trabaho.
This news is not new. Very rare that an employer will treat a maid like what you’d expect. What if! A kid itself will tell you not to sit/step/lays on their bed when you are patting e’ m to sleep. It’s crazy. Isn’t it? The thing is, These our journey, work hard, save money, built your dream and go home.
Me kaibigan aq kumakain bibigyan sa pinggan na d sapat sa kanya.tapos kapag umaalis ang amo binibilang ang prutas at itlog na kala mo nanakawin ng katulong.cnisigawan cy sa harap ng mga bisita…
True.. God bless those people dont know how to treat human.. Most of Hongkong employer so mean..
Masakit na katotohanan.kawawang ofw di man lang mapahalagahan. Naway itoy pagtuunan ng pansin ng gobyerno dito sa hk. Overworked 18-20 hours a day, pagdating mu galing holiday magtrabaho ka pa din, kulang sa pagkain, among babae na sobrang demanding. 10 tamang ginawa mu pipiliting humanap ng isang mali may maipintas lang sayo.. hahayyy grabeng pagtitiiS, luhA,sakit ng katawAn,sama ng loob,lungkot,pagod, gutom.. sana mapansin ito ng gobyerno nila at bigyan ng aksyon. Nakakalungkot.
Oftentimes i wonder… how can those cruel employers still manage to sleep soundly while their helpers suffer from lack of sleep/rest…. how can they enjoy eating bounty foods while their helpers doesnt have enough food to eat?…so many questions "OF HOW CAN" for a single question of "DO YOU STILL HAVE A COMMON SENSE OF HEART?"…because helpers r the one being burdened by those heartless emplos.May the love that we showed, &caring for your family echoed back from a humane treatment too(for the fact that it’s part of the labor law, but still oftentimes it’s INTENTIONALLY ignored and violated which is evidently an act of power abuse over helpers????????????).
Its true….
Same my employer..they not allow me to use washing machine but its okey.. yung among kong lalaki ang nkaassign s pglalaba ng dmit nla mag aswa at 8:30 ang rest time ko…
Shortage of DOMESTIC HELPERS Thats good for the Bad Employer.
My Previous Employer before what I Hated Most IS they gived me the Leftover Food from restaurant it’s there’ left over food from Saturday lunch or dinner
That will be my Lunch Monday Noon.
And weekdays they gonna gived me the gills of the fish for my dinner .