Migrant rights campaigners hit out at $100 salary hike

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

Thanks but no thanks, say leaders of the AMCB who have been calling for $6,014 minimum wage

Migrant workers who had hoped to get their minimum monthly salary raised to slightly above $6,000 this year were left sorely disappointed when the Hong Kong government announced today, Friday, that the so-called minimum allowable wage will go up to $4,730, or just $100 more than the previous level.

The 2.2% salary hike is the first to be granted to migrant domestic workers by the government in the past three years. For the first two years of the pandemic, the MAW was frozen at $4,630.

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The monthly food allowance given to a small percentage of the workers who are not provided food by their employers was also increased by a mere $23, so it is now $1,196 from the previous 1,173.

The new wage levels will apply to all contracts signed on or after tomorrow, Oct. 1.  But FDH contracts signed today or earlier at the existing MAW of $4,630 and food allowance of $1,173 per month, will still be processed if they reach the Immigration Department on or before Oct 28.

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Leaders of the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, which has been fighting for years to get the MAW raised to $6,014 – an amount they call “living wage” – were left bitterly disappointed by the increase.

“The MAW at its current level of $4,730 is still 21% short of the living wage and therefore, is still (at) slave-wage level,” said AMCB spokesperson Dolores Balladares-Pelaez.

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While the $100 increase offers “slight relief” to MDWs, it is still not enough to give them a living wage, she said.

According to AMCB, a study carried out by the British charity, Oxfam, had determined that a worker in Hong Kong has to earn $54.70 per hour to be able to live decently. But the helpers’ hourly rate of about $31.15 translates to just 56% of this so-called living wage.

AMCB’s push for a much higher salary increase was also hinged on the lack of financial aid for FDWs during the pandemic. While permanent residents and starting last year, also new arrivals, were given cash and spending vouchers totaling $10,000 each year for the past three years, FDWs were left out of the aid bonanza.

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“Migrant domestic workers suffered severely during the pandemic, yet we continue to not receive any support or financial assistance from the HK government,” said the AMCB.

The group also said it was not true that a substantially higher pay is beyond the reach of most employers, as many managed to offer much higher salaries when pandemic-related restrictions led to a severe shortage of migrant workers.

“It is only the government that prevented it (acceptable wage level) from happening,” said AMCB.

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The $100 wage increase would have pleased most employers, but might have come as a surprise to employment agency groups, which had forecast a new MAW of $4,800, referencing the 4% salary hike given to civil servants recently.

In a statement, the government said that in accordance with established practice, it had considered Hong Kong’s economic outlook and labour conditions in the past year, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in coming up with the new MAW.

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Also taken into consideration, according to the government’s statement, was the affordability for employers and the livelihood of the FDWs.

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Kasong money laundering laban sa 5 Pinay, iniakyat sa District Court

 

Mula sa Kowloon City court ay isinampa sa District Court ang kaso ng 5 Pinay

Iniakyat ngayon sa District Court ang kaso ng limang Pilipinang inakusahang nagkuntsaba sa paglilinis ng kuwartang nanggaling sa krimen, o money laundering, sa pamamagitan ng pag-deposito at pag-withdraw ng malalaking halaga sa kanilang mga account sa bangko.

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Isinagawa ito kanina sa isang pagdinig sa Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court, matapos hilingin ng taga-usig na pagsamahin ang mga kaso ng mga domestic helper na sina Charity Marquez, Gigi Guieb, Roda Ramos at Maribet Canete and at ng recognizance holder na si Jinky Salmorin.

Nasasakdal silang lahat sa kasong paglabag sa Organized and Serious Crimes Ordiance at sa Crimes Ordinance.

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Inaprubahan ni Magistrate Stephanie Tsui May-har ang mungkahi ng taga-usig, na hindi naman hinarang ng mga abogado ng limang akusado.

Walang humiling ng piyansa sa mga nasasakdal kaya mananatili silang nakakulong hanggang sa susunod na pagdinig na gagawin na sa District Court sa Wanchai simula sa Oct. 18.

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Ang pag-akyat ng mga kaso sa District Court ay hudyat na mas mabigat ang parusang hinaharap ng mga akusado kumpara sa pinakamataas na sentensyang dalawang taon na pagkakabilanggo na maaring ipataw sa magistracy.

Sa unang sakdal, inakusahan sina Marquez at Salmorin na nakipagsabwatan sa tulong ng isang Julia at iba pang hindi kilalang tao, sa pag-withdraw ng pera mula sa iba’t ibang account sa banko na kontrolado nila, sa pagitan ng Feb. 8, 2021 at July 26, 2021.

Walang binanggit na halaga sa mga na-withdraw nila, pero ang mga perang nakita sa account ng tatlo pa nilang kapwa akusado ay umabot sa $3,551,300 sa kabuuan.

Ayon pa sa mga naunang pahayag ng tagausig ng kaso, naaresto si Marquez sa Hong Kong International Airport noong Jul 26, 2021, ilang oras bago ang takdang paglipad niya sa Maynila, matapos mag withdraw ng $100,000 mula sa mga ATM sa Jordan.

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Sa ikalawang sakdal, inakusahan sina Guieb at Jennifer Teofilo (na hindi kasama sa kasong ito) na nagkipagsabwatan sa iba pang hindi-kilalang tao sa sa pagpasok at paglabas ng $319,200 sa HSBC account ni Guieb sa pagitan ng April 17, 2021 at July 26, 2021.

Sa ikatlong sakdal, si Guieb ay inakusahang nakipagsabwatan sa ibang hindi-kilalang tao sa pagpasok at paglabas ng $858,400 sa kanyang account sa Hang Seng Bank sa pagitan ng Nov. 28, 2020 at July 26, 2021.

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Sa ikaapat na sakdal, inakusahan si Ramos na nakipagsabwatan sa mga hindi-kilalang tao sa pagpasok at paglabas ng $1,382,200 sa kanyang account sa Hang Seng Bank sa pagitan ng Jan. 6, 2021 at July 26, 2021.

Sa ikalimang sakdal, si Caniete ay inakusahang nakipagsabwatan sa isang Maria at iba pang hindi kilalang tao, sa pagpasok at paglabas ng $660,900 sa kanyang Hang Seng Bank account sa pagitan ng March 2, 2021 at July 27, 2021.

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Sa ikaanim na sakdal, inakusahan si Caniete na nakipagsabwatan sa isang Maria at iba pang hindi-kilalang tao sa pagpasok at paglabas ng $330,000 sa kanyang bank account sa HSBC sa pagitan ng Feb. 1, 2021 at July 27, 2021.

Sa kanilang takdang pagharap sa District Court ay tatanungin ang mga akusado kung aamin ba sila o itatatwa ang sakdal laban sa kanila. Kapag umamin ay sesentensyahan sila agad, pero kung itanggi nila ang sakdal ay idadaan sila sa paglilitis.

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Filipina DH scalded by employer seeks help

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

Jenny suffered serious burns on her neck, back and arm from the scalding  (picture taken on Feb 10)

A Filipina who says her employer of more than five years poured boiling water on her neck and arms more than a year ago has sought help from the Mission for Migrant Workers after she was hurt again recently.

Jenny S. (not her real name) said she decided not to pursue a complaint against her employer after the scalding incident on Feb.10 last year, despite being persuaded by police to do so, as she was heavily in debt because her 16-year-old son was undergoing dialysis.

But after the latest incident last Sept. 3, in which her employer, said to be a surgical nurse, allegedly hurt her again by slamming a refrigerator door on her chest, she decided she had had enough. With help from Mission case officer Edwina Antonio, Jenny sent a letter to the Immigration Department to earlier today, Thursday, to ask for advice and relief. 

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Separately, she also filed a complaint with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Office on Sept. 18.

“I have written to complain about the extreme physical, mental and verbal abuse inflicted on me by my employer, her failure to provide me with adequate food despite not giving me any food allowance, and for not allowing me to leave her house to take a day off and take any statutory holiday since January 2021, using the pandemic as excuse,” said Jenny in her letter to Immigration.

Jenny, and who is married to a farmer and has two teen-age children, said in her letter that she wished to continue working as she needed money for her son’s treatment and other expenses, but was not sure she could endure her employer’s abuse.

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According to Jenny, the scalding incident happened as she and her employer were cooking radish cake in time for Chinese New Year. After she had put a pot water on the stove for boiling, her employer got mad on seeing that she had an earpiece stuck in one ear. Jenny told her she needed to be on standby for any news on her son who was then undergoing dialyis. 

The employer started shouting so Jenny took out the earpiece. However, the employer continued with her angry tirade, then stalked out of the kitchen. Jenny said she was kneeling under the sink to put away pots inside a cabinet when she suddenly felt boiling water being poured on her. She cried out in pain, and ran to her room to take off her clothes and find relief for her burns.

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Her employer followed soon afterwards and put ice and aloe vera on Jenny's back, saying she was sorry and it was an accident, but Jenny did not believe her. After dressing her wounds, the employer let Jenny continue with her work in the kitchen.

Blisters formed on Jenny's right arm after the scalding 

After the scalding, her employer did not let Jenny go to the hospital and treated the burns herself. But on Feb. 15, the last day of the Chinese New Year, Jenny asked to see her aunt, but instead went to Tsuen Wan Hospital along with an officer of her church, to get medical advice and treatment.

There, a nurse saw the burns on her back and advised her to go to a police station inside the hospital. The officers stationed there reportedly advised Jenny to file a complaint so they could go and investigate her employer but she was not persuaded.

"They wanted to see my employer and investigate further but I resisted, as I did not want to lose my job because of financial problems. They gave me time to reconsider, but I insisted I did not want to file a complaint," she said.

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Apart from the physical assaults, Jenny said her employer stopped her from leaving the house 20 months ago and told her to stay in her room on her days off, and rest for a mere six hours. After that, she needed to resume work. Every now and then, the employer would also knock on her door to make her do a chore.

Most days, Jenny said she also had to buy her own food whenever she would be sent out to the market or grocery because her employer very rarely gave her anything to eat. She would also take this opportunity to top up her Alipay account at convenience stores so she could send money home.

Jenny has worked for the employer since May 9, 2017 or for more than five years, but still receives the minimum salary of $4,630. She does not get any food allowance.

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Despite the scalding incident, she decided to renew her contract for the third time in March this year, saying again that she could not afford to lose her job and was scared of taking the chance to look for another employer.

“After I agreed to renew my contract, (my employer) became even more demanding, and would often shout at me and curse me for the smallest reason,” she said in her letter to Immigration.

“I would sometimes answer back but I was still afraid of losing my job. After a while, she started telling me to quit, but that I should pay her a month’s salary in lieu of notice.”

Jenny says she did not file a police complaint because she didn't want to lose her job

Things got worse on Aug 15 this year, when Jenny tested positive for Covid-19. She believes she picked it up from having to commute daily, after her employer decided to have their flat renovated, and told her to sleep in an unoccupied office 15 minutes away.

However, her employer reportedly got angry over her sickness, and blamed her for being careless and failing to take enough preventive measures to ward off the coronavirus.

At about 5am on Sept 2, Jenny had another heated argument with her employer when she forgot to spray disinfectant on her mobile phone before entering the employers’ flat. The employer allegedly threw a chopstick at Jenny, which broke in two after hitting her back.

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When Jenny responded to her angry tirade, the employer got even more angry and began shaking the helper by the shoulders. She only stopped when the helper told her to stop being “physical” with her.

Jenny said she then went to the kitchen to put some food inside the refrigerator, and her employer followed her there. Suddenly, the employer slammed the fridge door shut, and hitting Jenny hard on the chest. When she cried out in pain, the employer told Jenny to stop, and said that if she wanted to leave then she could do so, but only after she paid a month’s salary in lieu of notice.

“I still feel pain in my right breast but I have not been allowed to go out and have it examined,” said Jenny.

On the day she managed to slip out to complain to OWWA, Jenny said she was allowed to “rest” inside her makeshift  room in the office starting at 3pm. When she sneaked out to go to the Mission, she said she was allowed to rest between 9am and 3pm, after which she needed to go the employers’ flat to resume work. 

Jenny, who barely managed to finish two months working for another employer previously, got so scared of blowing up a second chance to work in Hong Kong that she put up with the repeated abuse and illegal orders of her employer.

Her being made to stay at home instead of going out on her holidays also prevented her from seeking advice and interacting with fellow migrant workers. Otherwise, she would have known that there are many employers out there who would have treated her far more humanely - and with dignity.

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Caregivers may upload vaccine passes of kids, elderly

By The SUN

 

Parents and caregivers can add the vaccination QR code of kids under their care

From Friday, Sept 30, all children aged five and above should have their own vaccine pass to enter certain high-risk premises, including restaurants, swimming pools, libraries and other venues.

To make it easier to get the children through these venues, parents and their carers may now store the kids’ vaccine pass along with their own, in the LeaveHomeSafe app. However, a paper copy of the kids’ vaccination QR code may also be used as vaccine pass.

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The new function also allows anyone to store up to eight vaccine passes apart from their own, on their LHS app.

However, these additional vaccine passes could only be those of persons exempted from using the LHS app – such as children aged 15 and below, elderly aged 65 and above, or persons with disabilities.

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Children aged 5 to 11 can obtain the vaccine pass after receiving two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, or within three months after receiving the first jab.

Also starting on Friday, the grace period for persons aged 12 or above to receive the third dose of a vaccine will be shortened from six months to five months under the Vaccine Pass.

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The moves came as the government reported 3,911 new Covid infections on Wednesday, including 208 imported cases.

Fourteen more Covid patients – aged between 57 and 97 – have died. Eight of them were not fully vaccinated.

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In announcing the new rules for the vaccine pass, the government said that Hong Kong’s vaccination rate for those who have received the third dose has reached 77 percent, so there is certain level of immunity barrier in place.

However, the vaccination rate for the young and old, who are the targeted groups for protection, “still have room for improvement.” Thus, the lowering of the age requirement for the vaccine pass.

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“We strongly appeal to members of the public for arranging COVID-19 vaccination for their children and/or elderly family members without delay so that the children and elderly can get protection early through vaccination,” said the statement.

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“Members of the public who are eligible for the third or fourth dose should also get vaccinated as soon as possible to strengthen their own protection."

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End of quarantine means lower salaries for FDHs, says recruiter

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The reported dip in FDH salaries could impact the govt's decision on their new minimum wage

Hong Kong’s decision to scrap the three-day hotel quarantine may result in more foreign domestic helpers coming in, but it has also resulted in an overall drop in salaries, says the head of an employment agency group.

Thomas Chan, head of the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies, says almost all of the FDHs coming from the Philippines now have been signed up to receive the minimum wage of $4,630.

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“For those (hired) in Hong Kong, most of them – over 90% - receive salaries of from $4,800 to $5,500,” he said. In isolated or rare cases, the worker is paid between $6,500 to $8,000.

The average range now is far lower than before because there is now a steady supply of workers coming in, with the employers paying far less to bring them over.

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A three-day stay at a quarantine hotel used to set them back around $5,000 – but had to pay at least double this if they wanted the helper to spend the next four days of medical surveillance in another hotel or hostel.

The supply had dipped considerably when Hong Kong had set the mandatory hotel quarantine to 21 days, gradually reducing it to 14, then seven days.

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But it was worse when Hong Kong banned all passenger flights from sending countries twice –last year and early this year – because of a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Chan also said that despite the lifting of the quarantine requirement, about 30% of employers still want their helpers to stay in a hostel or dormitory during their three-day medical surveillance upon arrival.

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Latest statistics from the Immigration Department show that there has been a steady decline in the number of FDHs overall, with more than 20,000 jobs being lost over the past year alone. It rermains to be seen if the numbers will pick up with the easing of the travel restrictions.

The current salaries offered to FDHs could have an impact on the ongoing study by the government on what the new minimum allowable wage for them should be. A decision is expected within this week, for implementation next month, in line with the previous practice.

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Migrant organizations are calling for the MAW to be set at no less than $6,014, pointing out that their salaries had been kept at the same level for the past two years.

Also, that they were never given financial assistance by the government during the pandemic, when permanent residents and new residents were given cash aid, then spending vouchers in the past three years.

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But according to Chan, employers find it “reasonable” to pay the current minimum wage of $4,630 to workers coming from their home countries for the first time. For those with experience working in Hong Kong, he said they will not mind paying from $4,800 to $5,500 a month.

As for his personal view, Chan said he predicts the government will increase the salary to $4,800, which is in line with the 4% percent pay hike given to civil servants recently.

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