A labor organization has launched a petition requesting that the Hong Kong government set standard working hours and improve accommodations for foreign domestic workers.
Organizations under the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body have already collected 38,000 signatures from domestic workers, Oriental Daily reported.
According to a spokesman, they want the government to ensure that employment contracts guarantee domestic workers 11 hours of uninterrupted rest between two consecutive work days, aside from mealtimes.
They also want the government to state what exactly is unsuitable accommodation, such as bathrooms, kitchens, closets and corridors.
The spokesman said the government must start treating maids as workers, not slaves, as they take care of the Hong Kong households. “Ensuring [maids] have proper rest means safer homes.”
The groups also said that to prevent contract violations, a complaint mechanism for domestic workers should be introduced along with stiff penalties for violators.
An Indonesian worker who signed the petition said she was made to sleep in a corridor for four years.
Sri Wapui, who has been working in Hong Kong for five years, said that during the time she worked for her former employer, she had to sleep in a corridor near the kitchen and bedroom where piles of dirty clothes were stored.
She developed skin diseases and various illnesses but she was afraid to complain to her employer, as she did not want to lose her job.
Another domestic worker from Nepal said her accommodation was a 4.6-square-meter storeroom with a washing machine, fans and other household things inside.
GOVT MUST KEEP ON EYE MAID ACCOMODATION. SOME TIME IMMIGRATION MUST GO AND CHECK AT NIGHT TIME WHERE MAID SLEEP.
good acomodation should be provided by the employers.but if they want live out and 11 hours consecutive rest with out interruption i think the employers should lessen their salary so they can hire two mades and fix the shifting.
The accomodation are very difficult here I am working in same employer for 5 years but this month we transfer to our new place I am disappointed with this room no ventilation direct to kitchen n my bathroom wish my contract will end soon
Yes,hopefuly it will happen. …
what do you mean by lessen the salary? minimum wage should be followed. under minimum is breaking the law.
as u can see hongkong goverment dont just give basic salary to the workers.it is well tought.hongkongers have basic salary of 8000 hkd with 8 working hours and 1 hour break plus 2 hours transportation going and after work. and domestic helper salary is 4410 if helper demand for 11hours uninterrupted rest except their meal break wich is let say 1 or 2 hours .so how manny hours will they work for the family?will the helper just sit at home and dont want to take care of the kids even if their empmoyers are still out of work coz their 11 hours interupted rest is started.hiring a helper is a big thing.they hire coz they need to work.they just dont hire coz they want.. it should be a mutual understanding between employer and helper.. respecting and trusting each other is verry big factor…coz both of them run the family
Joanne Saptang I guess you didnt understand what the article meant regarding 11hrs uninterrupted rest..it means, the 11hrs uninterrupted rest except meal times should be given by the employers to their maids during night time..let say the maid can only work from 6am-7pm and after 7pm the maid should be resting already and the employer should not interrupt the maid from 7pm-6am (which is 11hrs) just to ask the maid to do something for them..because some of the employers let their maids work until 10pm (worst scenario is until 12mn) then the maid needs to start working at 6am the next day..you know most of the maids doesn’t have enough sleep or rest during night time.
Joanne Saptang it is not about the salary of hongkongers it is all about the maids or domestic helpers 11 hours rest uninterrupted. and for your additional information, hk government doesn’t grant employers to take maid or foreign maid if thier income is less than 15k hkd. so the most concern here is, employers should follow the law coz many employers are too abusive. they keep asking their helpers to do things for them during the helper’s dayoff which is implemented by the hk government the 24 hours off of work for domestic helper. so 11 hours uninterrupted is only be granted during night of rest.
Dianne Koolits Pagulayan do u mean after office hours employer need to go home and cook for their selves wash their own plates and take care of yheir kids after work
MC S. Camoro dear u should know that hongkong people hire helper so they can work…what i only want is to balance once needs.its should be a cooperation between helper and an employer.my help sleep at 12 and wake up 8 ir 8.30 am.then i ask her to sleep when my child have nap in the afternoon.i ask her to make her house work done fast so she can have more rest..but sometimes when she can see i am verry tired she offer me a massage.whuch is i am lucky for.. i am not againts helper knor employers.each one should respect each other and cooperate.they should both run the house.they should communicate.only then we can treat each ither luke family not like helpers
Joanne Saptang You are quite right. Mutual care and respect solves amny probles.
i am fililina as well i am afraid that one day no body will hire fililina helpers anymore.
Hoping.because a lot of hk employers dont really follow whats indicated in the law regarding foods & rest.hrs.during day off.