ENSURE PROTECTION OF DOMESTIC WORKERS IN HK IN THE MIDST OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS

Several domestic worker leaders in HK from the only self-representative organization of migrant domestic workers in this region, the Asian Migrant Domestic Workers Alliance (ADWA), and its partner DW organizations, trade unions, and civil society advocates, held a joint workshop of local and migrant DWs and met the press on 14 December to call for the adoption of an ILO Convention recognizing domestic work, and to demand for protection of domestic workers amidst the worsening global crisis. The DW leaders also announced a march-rally on 21 December and other activities as part of the international campaign of the International Working Group of Domestic Workers (IWG) for the recognition of domestic work.

The DW leaders emphasized the importance of protecting and promoting human rights for ALL as current practices, laws, policies, and social attitudes in HK continue to discriminate, marginalize, and exploit DWs. This is in line with the 2008 Migrants’ Campaign Month led by the Migrant Forum in Asia under the theme “Human Rights & Dignity for ALL Migrants” to mark the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights.

“DWs continue to suffer from abuses, contract violations, low wages, rampant underpayment, and exploitation by recruitment agencies,” related Lori Brunio, HK representative of the IWG. “The absence of minimum wage, low wages, lack of occupational safety and health protection, lack of social security and proper insurance, lack of standard contracts and benefits scheme, and discrimination are major problems faced by DWs in HK,” concurred Tse Shung Chan, chairperson of the HK Domestic Workers General Union. As such, both local and migrant DWs in HK remain the most vulnerable in HK society.

The DW leaders underscored the need to brace themselves for the impacts of the deepening global economic meltdown. The DWs are expected to bear the brunt of the harshest effects of the crisis, as they are part of the most vulnerable of HK society along with the poor, the working class, especially women workers, and the unemployed.

HK is already in recession… and the worst is yet to come. The economic crunch and the spillover effects are expected to severely deteriorate in 2009 and may continue on in 2010. Sumiati, Chairperson of the Coalition for Migrant Rights and a DW in HK for more than 27 years recounted that as in the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, “the direct and immediate blows will be on DWs in terms of layoffs, wage cuts, and the further erosion of social security protection. In the 1997-1998 crisis, more than 27,000 migrant DWs were terminated in HK.” In times of crises, she said, “migrants, who have less job security and bargaining power, have traditionally been the first to be terminated, deported, and subjected to cuts in wages and benefits.”

As it is, thousands of migrant DWs have already been terminated since July 2008. When the worst of the global financial meltdown hits the HK employers in 2009, tens of thousands of both local and migrant DWs fear for their jobs and essentially, their financial and social security.

Given the already precarious working and living conditions of DWs in HK and aggravated by the further insecurity brought on by the effects of the global financial meltdown, both local and migrant DWs in HK are calling on the HK government to proactively fulfill its responsibility to protect them from further harm and difficulty amidst the crisis. The DWs also expect the governments of the countries of origin (the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, among others) to step up and ensure the protection of the human rights and welfare of the DWs in HK.

The local and migrant DWs specifically call for:

1. Vigilant implementation and adherence to the labor law, minimum wage law, and other existing legal protections for workers and DWs.
2. Government stimulus package should give emphasis on encouraging/ enabling companies to retain workers and workers’ wages/benefits; government should provide support for laid off workers.
3. Immediate implementation of a minimum wage for workers in HK, including for local domestic workers.
4. Severe punishment of employers who abuse, underpay, and violate the DW employment contract.
5. Severe punishment of recruitment agencies that violate the 10% limit on recruitment fees.
6. Restoration of the MDW minimum wage to HK$3, 860/month (1997 level).
7. Setting up of a Compensation Fund for DWs – where DWs (local and migrant) can claim financial support or compensation for violations of the employment contract; compensation for occupational accidents/hazards; financial support for MDW to cover shelter/living costs when they are terminated or when they have pending court cases, etc.

The local and migrant DWs reiterated that, “beyond the crisis, we have come together in HK, at the Asian regional and global levels as DWs in order to advance our interests and fight for proper recognition of the rights, value, and dignity of domestic workers.”

ENSURE PROTECTION OF DOMESTIC WORKERS IN HK IN THE MIDST OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS!
NO TO JOB DISMISSALS OF LOCAL AND MIGRANT WORKERS!
MINIMUM WAGE FOR LOCAL WORKERS!
STOP UNDERPAYMENT!
NO TO WAGE CUTS!
STOP ILLEGAL AGENCY FEES!
CREATE COMPENSATION FUND TO PROTECT ALL DOMESTIC WORKERS!
ADOPT AN ILO CONVENTION TO PROTECT AND RECOGNIZE DOMESTIC WORK!