Higher pay for foreign maids in Taiwan? Taipei amenable to $521 monthly pay, says Baldoz

MANILA – Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz on Monday she received a report saying Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor is inclined to agree to a salary increase for household service workers proposed by the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam which could very well reach NT$17,000 a month, equivalent to P24,270, or $521.

“Our labor representative in Taiwan, Llewelyn D. Perez, has reported that there is already an understanding among the four countries sending household service workers to Taiwan, through their representative offices, to accept the proposal of Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor for a minimum salary of NT$17,000 per month, with a commitment to meet with the sending countries annually to discuss a yearly increase,” Baldoz said in a news release.

“The NT$17,000 minimum salary is NT$1,160 above the current NT$15,840 a month salary of HSWs, but NT$500 less than what the four sending countries have demanded. Nevertheless, this is the first increase in the minimum salary of HSWs in the last 18 years,” she added.

In her report, Labor Representative Perez said Vice Minister Feng Ming-hao is initiating the 1st Joint Labor Conference between Taiwan-Indonesia-Philippines-Thailand-Vietnam on Friday, 28 August, to finalize the negotiations of the minimum wage of the HSWs, which the four labor-sending countries have earlier demanded.

Baldoz claimed that the Philippines’s firm stand on the issue, which she enunciated during the 6th Philippines-Taiwan Joint Labor Conference that she attended in Taipei last month, had paved the way for the long-delayed wage increase.

“This is an auspicious start similar to the annual wage review we have requested for in countries like Hong Kong and Macau,” said Baldoz.

Since last month, Labor Representative Perez said negotiations have continuously been carried out between Taiwan and Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines for the increase on the monthly minimum wages for HSWs.

“A favorable agreement is now very near,” Perez reported, adding that pending the final and formal conclusion of the negotiations on 28 August, there is already an understanding among the labor representative offices of the four countries to accept Taiwan’s proposal.

Philippine Resident Representative to Taiwan and Manila Economic and Cultural Office Managing Director Antonio Basilio has expressed his support and agreement to the proposal of the Taiwan side.

“We are able to achieve what we wanted for the benefit of our HSWs, especially for the long-term, and at the same time provide Taiwan a winning and gracious stance,” Perez quoted him as saying. –InterAksyon.com