HK agrees to increase maids’ wage

The Labor Department reported on Monday that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region had agreed to increase the monthly minimum allowable wages of foreign household service workers, including Filipino domestic helpers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the salary increase was pegged at HK$180, or 4.8 percent, from HK$3,740.00 to HK$3,920.00, and the monthly food allowance by HK$100, or 12.9 percent, from HK$775.00 to HK$875.00.

The salary upgrade for Filipino household workers in Hong Kong followed a similar agreement which the government forged with Saudi Arabia early this month.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, also the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns, reported that the government was able to convince Saudi Arabia officials to pay Filipino household workers a guaranteed $400 monthly, from the previous base pay of $200 per month.

The agreement was part of a “pioneering” standard employment contract for newly-hired Filipino domestic workers in the Middle Eastern country, which would also provide for higher compensation, better working conditions and benefits for household workers, according to Binay.

Baldoz, meanwhile, said the new minimum wage and allowance for Hong Kong workers shall apply to employment contracts signed by parties starting 20 September 2012, and does not apply or affect prevailing contracts or contracts signed until 19 September 2012. These contracts shall bear the previous rates.

“This is a welcome development for our HSWs because the Hong Kong government has always been protective and considerate in looking after the welfare of expatriate workers,” Baldoz said.

“The decision was made by the HK Labor Department following its annual review of the MAW for foreign household service workers. The review took into consideration Hong Kong’s general economic and employment situation, relevant income movements, price changes and HK labor market situation,” said Baldoz.

Hong Kong’s standard employment contract for hiring foreign HSWs requires employers to provide foreign HSWs with free food, or may opt to pay their workers food allowance in lieu of free food.

A press statement of the HK-SAR’s Labor Department said “the MAW and food allowance are only a minimum standard which are set to protect foreign domestic helpers from exploitation and to protect local workers from competition with low-wage foreign workers.”

“Employers may choose to give FDHs better terms than the MAW and food allowance, depending in their individual situations,” according to the statement. –Vito Barcelo, Manila Standard Today