By The SUN
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| The protesters say migrant workers deserve to be paid a living wage of $5,894 |
Vowing solidarity, about 200 Asian migrant workers and their
supporters have called on the Hong Kong government to raise foreign domestic
workers’ minimum pay to what they called a “living wage” of $5,894 a month.
But during their rally held ouside the Labour Department
offices in Sheung Wan on Sept 18, local activist, Ma Jai, called for more,
saying there should only be one minimum wage for all Hong Kong workers, including
FDWs. His call elicited cheers from the crowd.
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| Local supporter Ma Jai says there should only be one minimum wage for all workers in HK |
Leaders of several workers groups under the Asian Migrants
Coordinating Body said the government should not use the current political
situation in Hong Kong as an excuse not to grant their demand for a just wage increase.
A day earlier, AMCB chair Dolores Balladares-Pelaez also
called for support from fellow migrants during the “Know Your Rights” seminar held
by the Domestic Workers Corner to mark its second founding anniversary.
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| Pelaez (right) receives a certificate of thanks from DWC founder Rodelia Villar |
Pelaez said the call for a living wage for FDWs is a just
call, considering their big contribution to Hong Kong’s economy.
She said the $5,894 minimum pay that her group is demanding
is based on a study by non-government organization, Oxfam Hong Kong.
According to this study, Hong Kong workers should be paid no
less than $54.7 per hour, for a minimum monthly pay of $14,322. But after taking
into account that FDWs do not spend on housing and food, the minimum salary they
should be getting is $5,894, based on computations.
“May butal kasi based siya sa study,” Pelaez explained.
She also said migrants should support the call for a higher
wage and better working conditions because they will all benefit from whatever
gains are made.
Apart from the call for a living wage, AMCB is also urging uninterrupted rest hours of at least 11 hours per day for FDWs, plus a list of accommodations deemed unsuitable that should be specified in their work contracts.
The Sunday rally was attended by a mix of Indonesian, Thai,
Nepalese, Sri Lankan and Filipino helpers as well as Hong Kong supporters.
It was organized by AMCB ahead of the government’s expected
announcement of a new minimum wage for migrant workers before the month ends.
AMCB chair Dolores Balladares-Pelaez said the current minimum salary of $4,520 is “slave
wage” because it barely covers the cost of inflation.
What they deserve is a living wage which will cover their
basic needs and support their family back home.
“Simple lang naman ang aming demand: living wage for migrant
domestic workers para mabuhay kami nang disente at maayos habang nagtatrabaho
sa Hong Kong para makaagapay kami sa mataas na pamumuhay sa Hong Kong at sa
aming pamilya,” Pelaez said in an interview after the protest.
Ma chimed in, “How can we survive with $4,520? Hong Kong is
very wealthy, we are very wealthy, so, we think the government should take up
the responsibility not only to provide better living conditions for our
workers, but also to provide sufficient and affordable health care, elderly
care soon.”
He said local supporters of the migrant workers in the Legislative
Council will continue to press the government for an equal minimum wage of
local and foreign workers.
Ma said the government’s logic of giving the migrant workers
a lower minimum wage than the locals to spare employers from the extra burden
is “bully logic.”
“If the employers
can’t pay such a high salary, then the government should subsidize the
employers,” he said.
In the post-rally interview, Pelaez said the migrant workers
are hoping that the government will consider the workers’ wage call despite
being diverted by the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
She said that was the reason why her group decided to press
the call for a living wage for FDWs despite the protests. “We don’t want to
just sit down and wait doon sa magiging decision by the end of the month,” she
said.
But to ensure the safety of the worker-rallyists, her group
decided against a march, and staged only a quick mass action.
Pelaez cited statements given by Consulate officials that
the number of FDW work contracts being submitted for processing has not
dropped, indicating that the demand for their services remains steady despite
the ongoing turmoil.
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