Hong Kong Maids Get 33 Cents Per Day

[bendix]

I can see you feel passionately about this subject Comrade Mid.

Maids of the World Unite. You have nothing to lose but your vacuum cleaners.

[Mid]

Maids of the World Unite. You have nothing to lose but your vacuum cleaners.

London will get you a Brick that the majority don't have vacuum cleaners ......................

How is the Ivory Tower these days ???

[bendix]

How is the Ivory Tower these days ???

Fine, thank you, and kept sparkling clean by my much put-upon maid

Edited June 7, 2007 by bendix

[Jet Gorgon]

I can see you feel passionately about this subject Comrade Mid.

Maids of the World Unite. You have nothing to lose but your vacuum cleaners.

Merry Maids. Sure, I had a PT Filipino maid in HK. She made a killing from all the bankers and foreigners who only wanted a PT service. She had a FT employer that let her do other jobs. Then she, along with all the other maids, got the out-of-season designer clothes, bedding, etc from employers that they shipped back for resale. Free housing, free food, medical. Not bad for an uneducated person. If she worked in the Phils, she'd be a fishmonger earning a buck a day maybe. Mine had her boyfriend with her and we all had to fire her after the git was found thieving. But same Asian scenario: the bulk of the earnings went home to look after the family.

[cdnvic]

they are engaged 24 hours a day year 'round

and there you have it .....................................................

Technically then soldiers, all emergency workers, etc, need to be paid round the clock.

[Heng]

Heng, while I agree it is not hard work to be sitting waiting for things to be done, like waiting for the laundries, but you can't say that they are not at work and are actually on holiday. They are still at work. They are still on standby mode. You are still using their time. It is a very strange way of thinking from you.

I suppose if I hire you to work in an office, make you work 1 hour and give you 2 hours break, but make you work 24 hours a day, what will it be like? Is it that I can say you only work 8 hours a day?

hi there MMT, my point was not whether the work was hard or not. My point was that all forms of work have a standby mode. And it's more than just the hours worked, or remuneration paid that makes a job. I'm saying housekeepers often have unrealized benefits and advantages over other occupations at the same level.

I only work a few hours a day but technically am on standby 24 hours a day. Can I say I really work 24 hours a day?

if you have to be at your office 24/7 ... you could claim it!

but comparing domestic help to office or factory help is pretty silly

Why would I need to be at the office? My office is my bedroom, my car, the tennis court, the spa, or wherever I happen to be.

[Bentley 7]

If you are disgusted with the circumstances that occur to some maids such as sexual exploitation, beatings, and cruelty. I will agree its not a great profession

but in terms of salary and conditions for an unskilled employee whose alternatives would be unemployment or 18 hour a day factory work for less pay - then you must see it as they see it as a great opportunity.

They save money

they dont spend money

they get to travel

currency rates work in their favour

they are able to send back to their home countries and keep large families alive

they use their savings to buy businesses for themselves and relatives back home

they often have mini export and import businesses

So dont let your bleeding heart jump on this band wagon before you see that its not a bad deal for the maid -thats why they're itching to to do this type of labour

I recall reading somewhere that 60% of the foreign remittances to the Phillipines are from workers working offshore -- so its even good for the country of origin

[Prakanong]

"I recall reading somewhere that 60% of the foreign remittances to the Phillipines are from workers working offshore -- so its even good for the country of origin "

When I was in the PI in April it was front page news that remittances from overseas workers was now running at 1.2 Billion USD per month - not a bad fogure.

We have 5 quite senior Filipina's in our office who all earn considerable more than a maid does - there might be maids in Orchard Road Condo's but they are not renting them like some of these do - these remit money too

Edited June 7, 2007 by Prakanong

[chinthee]

If you are disgusted with the circumstances that occur to some maids such as sexual exploitation, beatings, and cruelty. I will agree its not a great profession

but in terms of salary and conditions for an unskilled employee whose alternatives would be unemployment or 18 hour a day factory work for less pay - then you must see it as they see it as a great opportunity.

They save money

they dont spend money

they get to travel

currency rates work in their favour

they are able to send back to their home countries and keep large families alive

they use their savings to buy businesses for themselves and relatives back home

they often have mini export and import businesses

So dont let your bleeding heart jump on this band wagon before you see that its not a bad deal for the maid -thats why they're itching to to do this type of labour

I recall reading somewhere that 60% of the foreign remittances to the Phillipines are from workers working offshore -- so its even good for the country of origin

AMEN. And, well said. Can we please put this topic to bed now?

[bendix]

Not until I've had the last word. Which is . .

Adam Smith rules.

[Mid]

Not until I've had the last word

like that's going to happen ............................

[bendix]

wanna take this to Bedlam?

[Mid]

no way can I accept the common premise here that as long as you can give an example of either a worse occurrence or simply prove that whatever is not unique to Thailand then there is no problem .

[chuchok]

"I recall reading somewhere that 60% of the foreign remittances to the Phillipines are from workers working offshore -- so its even good for the country of origin "

When I was in the PI in April it was front page news that remittances from overseas workers was now running at 1.2 Billion USD per month - not a bad fogure.

We have 5 quite senior Filipina's in our office who all earn considerable more than a maid does - there might be maids in Orchard Road Condo's but they are not renting them like some of these do - these remit money too

I wonder what how much money Thai people send home? Is there such a stat?

[bendix]

no way can I accept the common premise here that as long as you can give an example of either a worse occurrence or simply prove that whatever is not unique to Thailand then there is no problem .

Fair enough. Are you instead prepared to accept an alternative premise that in a situation where demand exists for such workers and where there are far more (presumably rational and willing) workers trying to get these jobs, then perhaps the problem isn't as great as you suggest.

Or do you know better than these girls how they should live their lives and secure relative comfort for their families?

Because if that's your premise, Mid, perhaps we should swap avatars?

Edited June 7, 2007 by bendix

[Mid]

Fair enough. Are you instead prepared to accept an alternative premise that in a situation where demand exists for such workers and where there are far more (presumably rational and willing) workers trying to get these jobs, then perhaps the problem isn't as great as you suggest.

nope , once again you try to justify by implying that they should accept less because it's more .

as to the rest of your reply , as Confucius says ,

when a man starts throwing mud , it's a sure sign he's loosing ground .

[bendix]

Where am I suggesting they should accept less? I would have thought it's obvious i'm an advocate of the free market and personal responsibility. Good luck to the maids if they can take advantage of minimum wages. Kudos.

My point (perhaps I didnt express it well) is that if the situation was so bad as you imply, there would not be queues of sane, willing and able maids trying to get these roles. It's simple human nature. People do not aspire to do themselves harm.

Anyway, I'm happy to leave this debate and let you have the last word. Respect to a tenacious debater ;-)

[Mid]

back at you ..............

[Heng]

Where am I suggesting they should accept less? I would have thought it's obvious i'm an advocate of the free market and personal responsibility. Good luck to the maids if they can take advantage of minimum wages. Kudos.

My point (perhaps I didnt express it well) is that if the situation was so bad as you imply, there would not be queues of sane, willing and able maids trying to get these roles. It's simple human nature. People do not aspire to do themselves harm.

Well said.