Hong Kong Maids Get 33 Cents Per Day

[Mid]

Hong Kong maids get 33 cents per day

Hong Kong (dpa) - Representatives of Hong Kong's 200,000 Filipino, Indonesian and Thai domestic helpers staged a protest Wednesday after receiving a pay rise of just 10 US dollars a month.

snip

Hong Kong is home to more than 200,000 live-in foreign domestic helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand who do child care and household chores for working families in the city of 6.9 million.

outrageous in this day and age , especially for HK and Singapore ,

i know it's not new but that doesn't excuse it .

[bendix]

Market forces.

They aint good. They aint bad. They just are.

While more Philippinos, Thais and Indonesians want to go to HK and Singapore to earn more than they can at home, and try to fill jobs that dont exist for everyone, there's not much that can be done about it.

[Mid]

good place for some government intervention .........................

[Scott]

So just how much do people think a maid should make?

[Prakanong]

Singapore would grind to a halt without it filipina, Indo, sri lankan and burmese maids.

I think its about 350 SGD a mionth for the maid plus about the same amount tax to the govt - not too sure will have to ask a colleague - even some of the junior staff have maids and they all think its weird I do not have a full time one.

They also think its weird i cook but thats another story ;-)

Some of them get treat like shit from the Chinese and its every month someone seems to go to jail for abusing a maid - they are very strict on it as they know the value of maids to the Singapore economy.

I have a pal who is a maid - we sometimes watch football together.

She just moved families and now has her own bungalow in the grounds of a "Black and white" house - she is a graduate and quite skilled in SAS - I know guys in Europe on 700 Euro a day with skills like that.

Edited June 6, 2007 by Prakanong

[Bentley 7]

I think the heading was misleading the pay rise constitutes 33 cents a day or US10 a month

their minimum monthly wage to 445 US dollars which is not bad considering the basic minimum thai wage is 150 to 185 baht a day

a Mynammar maid can be obtained for as low as 3000 to 4000 baht a month

and dont forget the added benefits of free accommodation, food, and utlities etc

It really isnt a that bad of a deal, thats why so many want to go work in HK

[j_cheung]

Shocking! ... And I pay only a third of that in China too. They ought to start importing more of their mainland compatriots instead!

[bendix]

I think the heading was misleading the pay rise constitutes 33 cents a day or US10 a month

their minimum monthly wage to 445 US dollars which is not bad considering the basic minimum thai wage is 150 to 185 baht a day

a Mynammar maid can be obtained for as low as 3000 to 4000 baht a month

and dont forget the added benefits of free accommodation, food, and utlities etc

It really isnt a that bad of a deal, thats why so many want to go work in HK

Exactly.

I hate to get all Adam Smith-sian on this, but it's all about supply and demand. US$445 is OBVIOUSLY much more than they could get for the same work back in Indonesia, Philippines or Thailand, otherwise those maids would stay at home and do it (or something else) there.

There are more people wanting to do the job than there are jobs available. Ergo, salaries are low. It's not rocket science.

Given those basic economic laws, it's rather liberal that there is in fact a minimum wage and that it is, in fact, being increased.

[Mid]

but it's all about supply and demand

bullox ............

it's far from an open market .............................

[Nebukanezar]

I wish I could get some Philippinos over in Iraq for that much

As it stands I my semi skilled labor cost around $33 a day and I need to house them and feed them bringing the cost up to almost $50!!!

I'm looking at a skilled labor manager/secretary and she's getting $2550 a month right now ...wish I could get those HK rates

They are usually the best overall work force you can get for low wages. I wish Thais were more readily available I would choose them over the philipenos though. Ever notice how industrious they are on the construction of the roads and such. I mean you see women out there along side of men doing the same jobs just toiling along doing their thing...

[duke69]

a Chinese maid in China gets paid 50 $ a month and they are happy+++

an Indonesian maid in Jakarta gets 50$ in average per month, the young ones are free, family just want boos to pay for food

in KL a Indonesian maid is 400 rm per month which makes a 118 us$

expats in Kl pay 250 $ a month for a maid (double than locals).

Philippina maid (Xstian who can cook pork and speak english) in KL gets about 400-500$ per month

I do believe the maids in HK can protest to be paid too much.......wait a few years and they will disappear......thousands of chinese maids willing to work for half that money

[Prakanong]

I wish I could get some Philippinos over in Iraq for that much

As it stands I my semi skilled labor cost around $33 a day and I need to house them and feed them bringing the cost up to almost $50!!!

I'm looking at a skilled labor manager/secretary and she's getting $2550 a month right now ...wish I could get those HK rates

They are usually the best overall work force you can get for low wages. I wish Thais were more readily available I would choose them over the philipenos though. Ever notice how industrious they are on the construction of the roads and such. I mean you see women out there along side of men doing the same jobs just toiling along doing their thing...

Nah - filipina's over thai's any day

As an aside I have often wonder why Singapore does not take Thai maids though.

[bendix]

but it's all about supply and demand

bullox ............

it's far from an open market .............................

Precisely, as the posts above illustrate. It if was an open market, there would be no minimum salary and I suspect no pay rises. Chinese, Cambodian and Myanmar maids would go over there and undercut those currently being employed.

I'm not sure what side you're taking.

My opinion is that it should be an even more open market.

[chuchok]

but it's all about supply and demand

bullox ............

it's far from an open market .............................

Precisely, as the posts above illustrate. It if was an open market, there would be no minimum salary and I suspect no pay rises. Chinese, Cambodian and Myanmar maids would go over there and undercut those currently being employed.

I'm not sure what side you're taking.

My opinion is that it should be an even more open market.

If it was an open market,there would be a <deleted> load more exploitation.Probably a good reason why there is a min wage.

[Mid]

the maids are exploited ,

then the reasoning that they're better off is rolled out as justification ,

at least HK gazettes a day off unlike Singapore .

[bendix]

I'm curious. If they are exploited, why are so many of them queueing up for said 'exploitation'? It's all relative, isnt it? Back in Cebu they'd probably be happy working for a third of that salary. Go to HK and expectations change. Human nature, I guess.

I'm sure employers do take advantage of them, but both parties enter into it knowing the deal. It's not forced labour.

[Nebukanezar]

but it's all about supply and demand

bullox ............

it's far from an open market .............................

Precisely, as the posts above illustrate. It if was an open market, there would be no minimum salary and I suspect no pay rises. Chinese, Cambodian and Myanmar maids would go over there and undercut those currently being employed.

I'm not sure what side you're taking.

My opinion is that it should be an even more open market.

I tend to agree with you, a open market tends to garner a better quality of service for the money. For exsample, I'm in Kuwait at the moment on buissness, so I went out to the TGI Fridays (casual American style dining) at a near by mall for lunch. While there alone I sat a the "bar" (Kuwait is technicaly a dry country) and had lunch while one of the waitresses that worked there was incredibly attentive and struck up a nice conversation. As it turns out they earn about 150KD (about 17,000 baht) monthly and the company pays for their transportation and lodging. For this they work 12hrs a day and take one or 2 days off in the month. Oh and Kuwaities rarely tip and even more rare more than 10% if that. Then I realised that the service I recived while in countires like Kuwait and the UAE, where this labor set up is common, The service I recived is every bit as good and usualy better than what I got back in the States and I'm not pressured to tip 18%!

[Mid]

I'm curious. If they are exploited, why are so many of them queueing up for said 'exploitation'? It's all relative, isnt it? Back in Cebu they'd probably be happy working for a third of that salary. Go to HK and expectations change. Human nature, I guess.

I'm sure employers do take advantage of them, but both parties enter into it knowing the deal. It's not forced labour.

why are so many of them queueing up for said 'exploitation'? ,

grass is greener on the other side of the fence , escaping who knows what at home ...............

universal wish for a better life ...........

but both parties enter into it knowing the deal

one party is at an obvious disadvantage and the deal wouldn't hold water in the west ...............

It's not forced labour

luck the wrong boss and it's worse .

[chuchok]

I'm curious. If they are exploited, why are so many of them queueing up for said 'exploitation'? It's all relative, isnt it? Back in Cebu they'd probably be happy working for a third of that salary. Go to HK and expectations change. Human nature, I guess.

I'm sure employers do take advantage of them, but both parties enter into it knowing the deal. It's not forced labour.

Dosn't make it right by any stretch.

So what amount would you be happy to pay a maid..$5 a week?Strewth,in the right circumstances,some people might just work for a roof over there head and three square.If there were no rules in place, then that is exactly what would happen in some circumstances.I'm all for market forces,but against tight ar$e employers that can get el cheapo staff cause they come from a third world country.They should pay a reasonable wage,which is probably what they are getting now.

[bendix]

I think this debate is losing it's direction.

Most of the objections to the 'fate' of overseas maids in HK could easily be applied to 95% of the workforce here in Thailand where the minimum wage is much lower, where the chances of getting an abusive boss would be pretty much the same and where - from my limited knowledge - many people work under even what minimum wage they receive. Many - most perhaps - would love to escape to HK to work for what is effectively double Thailand's average income. And they try to. And many do. And that is what creates the labour oversupply and the market conditions.

I don't see many people lamenting the plight of Thai workers here in Thailand. Indeed, I'd hazard a guess and say that frankly farangs are generally happy that labour costs are so low here because it provides us with cheaper prices in the shops and - more directly - cheaper staff when we want help.

Or am I getting things mixed up? I have a habit of doing that.

[Mid]

overseas alone , strange people and customs , no support network .........

at home , with family and friends , acknowledged customs and a support network .

Whilst I agree that the plight of unskilled labourers in Thailand is dismal ,

I still take exception with the excuse that because it's better than that it's OK .

Can't argue your point about the benefits to expiates of low wage costs ,

Certainly can argue the immorality and disregard for human rights that come with it .

[chinthee]

Ok, folks, don't get all huffy here about exploitation, fair wages etc.. the picture is skewed. I lived for years in Hong Kong, and had a live-in maid. They have free room and board, a minimum set wage by the government, Sundays off, and many other advantages. Most of them send lots (relatively for them) of money home every month and often take care of entire families like this for years. If they're lucky, they get a nice employer (like I think I was) who gave them extras, made them feel part of the family, etc.. If they're unfortunate, yes, there are many, many cases (mostly Chinese) of their mistresses abusing them, and a few years ago a rich Chinese lady went to jail for burning her maid with her iron for some minor infraction and justice was served in that case.

Dollar for dollar, baht for baht, these Filippina maids do relatively much better than their Thai counterparts located in Thailand. They get to live in luxury conditions most of the time, and if they get an expat boss have many other "humane" conditions. Lots of expats grow very fond of them and go way beyond the call of duty in taking care of sick relatives back home etc.. Of course the lucky few Thai maids also do well who are there. No need to feel sorry for them. Thai maids should have it so good.

[jdinasia]

Hong Kong maids get 33 cents per day

Hong Kong (dpa) - Representatives of Hong Kong's 200,000 Filipino, Indonesian and Thai domestic helpers staged a protest Wednesday after receiving a pay rise of just 10 US dollars a month.

snip

Hong Kong is home to more than 200,000 live-in foreign domestic helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand who do child care and household chores for working families in the city of 6.9 million.

outrageous in this day and age , especially for HK and Singapore ,

i know it's not new but that doesn't excuse it .

So how much do they get paid if they got a .33 a day raise?

[chuchok]

Ok, folks, don't get all huffy here about exploitation, fair wages etc.. the picture is skewed. I lived for years in Hong Kong, and had a live-in maid. They have free room and board, a minimum set wage by the government, Sundays off, and many other advantages. Most of them send lots (relatively for them) of money home every month and often take care of entire families like this for years. If they're lucky, they get a nice employer (like I think I was) who gave them extras, made them feel part of the family, etc.. If they're unfortunate, yes, there are many, many cases (mostly Chinese) of their mistresses abusing them, and a few years ago a rich Chinese lady went to jail for burning her maid with her iron for some minor infraction and justice was served in that case.

Dollar for dollar, baht for baht, these Filippina maids do relatively much better than their Thai counterparts located in Thailand. They get to live in luxury conditions most of the time, and if they get an expat boss have many other "humane" conditions. Lots of expats grow very fond of them and go way beyond the call of duty in taking care of sick relatives back home etc.. Of course the lucky few Thai maids also do well who are there. No need to feel sorry for them. Thai maids should have it so good.

That's the thing chinthee.They do ok in HKG,prolly because of the legislation.I'm sure that would change if there were no laws to protect them.(mainly with the Chinese etc)

BTW,how for did you go "beyond the call of duty?"

[Mid]

So how much do they get paid if they got a .33 a day raise?

follow the link ............................

[chinthee]

Ok, folks, don't get all huffy here about exploitation, fair wages etc.. the picture is skewed. I lived for years in Hong Kong, and had a live-in maid. They have free room and board, a minimum set wage by the government, Sundays off, and many other advantages. Most of them send lots (relatively for them) of money home every month and often take care of entire families like this for years. If they're lucky, they get a nice employer (like I think I was) who gave them extras, made them feel part of the family, etc.. If they're unfortunate, yes, there are many, many cases (mostly Chinese) of their mistresses abusing them, and a few years ago a rich Chinese lady went to jail for burning her maid with her iron for some minor infraction and justice was served in that case.

Dollar for dollar, baht for baht, these Filippina maids do relatively much better than their Thai counterparts located in Thailand. They get to live in luxury conditions most of the time, and if they get an expat boss have many other "humane" conditions. Lots of expats grow very fond of them and go way beyond the call of duty in taking care of sick relatives back home etc.. Of course the lucky few Thai maids also do well who are there. No need to feel sorry for them. Thai maids should have it so good.

That's the thing chinthee.They do ok in HKG,prolly because of the legislation.I'm sure that would change if there were no laws to protect them.(mainly with the Chinese etc)

BTW,how for did you go "beyond the call of duty?"

Hehe. Not far, married with children... Yeah, you're right, it is due to the rational government policies there. Missing here...

[kankaroo]

What a life !

[jdinasia]

So how much do they get paid if they got a .33 a day raise?

follow the link ............................

So 20K a month +++ is not acceptable? WOW!

[Mid]

So 20K a month +++ is not acceptable? WOW!

too easy ...................

would you do it ??

[jdinasia]

If I was making 6K a month plus paying for room and board in Thailand? and had a 300% raise with a free room and food somewhere else? You betcha!

oooops sorry ... based on Heng's #'s that would be a 500% raise

Edited June 6, 2007 by jdinasia