Foreign Domestic Workers Abruptly Laid Off,
Labour Department's Guidelines Worsen Discrimination,
Concern Group Urges Hong Kong Government to Close the Borders
International Migrants Alliance, IMA (Hong Kong and Macau Branch) held a press conference on February 5 to reveal the plight of foreign domestic workers regarding the current epidemic situation in Hong Kong.
Some foreign domestic workers complained that employers threatened to terminate their contract if they choose to spend their day off outside. There are also employers who demanded the workers to rub alcohol all over their bodies after staying out. Some domestic workers were even sacked abruptly due to the severity of the outbreak.
Foreign domestic worker concern groups believe that an recent request made by the Labor Department of the Hong Kong Government had worsened the discrimination against foreign domestic workers.
The Labour Department asked foreign domestic workers to remain at home during their holidays. According to the group, as many as half of the domestic workers stayed at their emoloyers' home last Sunday, many against their wish.
Eman Villanueva, a representative from the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body stated that some employers have printed the Labor Department’s guidelines and posted them at home, demanding their helpers to stay home on their rest day. He pointed out that domestic workers who do not have private rooms have to sit in the living room and they have to cook and clean as usual which basically meant losing their legal rest day.
Villanueva mentioned that 30 Filipino domestic workers were not able to return to their homeland because of the travel ban in the Philippines. In other words, Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong who have lost their job cannot even return to their hometown.
The group urges the Hong Kong government to prohibit people in China from going to Hong Kong. Otherwise, the overseas customs clearance orders against Hong Kong will likely worsen, affecting even more foreign domestic workers.
Source: Stand News
#Feb5 #ChinesePneumonia #Coronavirus #ThePhilippines #DomesticHelpers
Labour Department's Guidelines Worsen Discrimination,
Concern Group Urges Hong Kong Government to Close the Borders
International Migrants Alliance, IMA (Hong Kong and Macau Branch) held a press conference on February 5 to reveal the plight of foreign domestic workers regarding the current epidemic situation in Hong Kong.
Some foreign domestic workers complained that employers threatened to terminate their contract if they choose to spend their day off outside. There are also employers who demanded the workers to rub alcohol all over their bodies after staying out. Some domestic workers were even sacked abruptly due to the severity of the outbreak.
Foreign domestic worker concern groups believe that an recent request made by the Labor Department of the Hong Kong Government had worsened the discrimination against foreign domestic workers.
The Labour Department asked foreign domestic workers to remain at home during their holidays. According to the group, as many as half of the domestic workers stayed at their emoloyers' home last Sunday, many against their wish.
Eman Villanueva, a representative from the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body stated that some employers have printed the Labor Department’s guidelines and posted them at home, demanding their helpers to stay home on their rest day. He pointed out that domestic workers who do not have private rooms have to sit in the living room and they have to cook and clean as usual which basically meant losing their legal rest day.
Villanueva mentioned that 30 Filipino domestic workers were not able to return to their homeland because of the travel ban in the Philippines. In other words, Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong who have lost their job cannot even return to their hometown.
The group urges the Hong Kong government to prohibit people in China from going to Hong Kong. Otherwise, the overseas customs clearance orders against Hong Kong will likely worsen, affecting even more foreign domestic workers.
Source: Stand News
#Feb5 #ChinesePneumonia #Coronavirus #ThePhilippines #DomesticHelpers
#AntiEpidemic #HumanRights #DomesticHelpers
Domestic Helpers Concern Groups Criticize Hong Kong Government for Neglecting Domestic Workers' Rights in Coronavirus Preventive Regulations
"...Tong Hiu-yan, Director of Community Relations at the Foreign Labor Works Centre criticised the government's Labor Departments for not providing enough guidelines for both employers and domestic helpers.
Besides, the Department had no practical measures to protect the rights and interests of the domestics helpers and was unwilling to handle requests of domestic helpers..."
Source: InMedia #Apr5
Read the Story
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19308
Domestic Helpers Concern Groups Criticize Hong Kong Government for Neglecting Domestic Workers' Rights in Coronavirus Preventive Regulations
"...Tong Hiu-yan, Director of Community Relations at the Foreign Labor Works Centre criticised the government's Labor Departments for not providing enough guidelines for both employers and domestic helpers.
Besides, the Department had no practical measures to protect the rights and interests of the domestics helpers and was unwilling to handle requests of domestic helpers..."
Source: InMedia #Apr5
Read the Story
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19308
#AntiEpidemic #HumanRights #DomesticHelpers
Domestic Helpers Concern Groups Criticize Hong Kong Government for Neglecting Domestic Workers' Rights in Coronavirus Preventive Regulations
Since March 29 2020, the HKSAR government has prohibited gatherings of more than 4 people in public place and required a social distance of no less than 1.5 meter. The new rule will last for 14 days.
During the coronavirus outbreak, the footbridges in Mong Kok, where domestic helpers spent their day off, has become fairly empty. On 5 April 2020, concern groups including the Foreign Labour Centre, the Asian Migrants' Union and the chairman of Labour Party Kwok Wing-ken distributed hand sanitizers, masks, takeaway menus and Coronavirus prevention leaflets to the foreign helpers on the footbridge.
Eni Lestari, Chairperson of Asian Migrants' Union said, “It is the Government's responsibility to step up epidemic prevention publicity for foreign domestic helpers,” stressing that "protection of domestic helpers is also for the protection of employer's family".
Tong Hiu-yan, Director of Community Relations at the Foreign Labor Works Centre, said they have received many requests for help from domestic helpers. Most of the workers live with the employers and most of them do not have their own rooms. In other words, they would be asked to work and unable to take proper rest, when staying at thr employer's home on holidays.
Tong criticised the government's Labor Departments for not providing enough guidelines for both employers and domestic helpers. Besides, the Department had no practical measures to protect the rights and interests of the domestic helpers and was unwilling to handle requests of domestic helpers.
Source : InMedia HK #Apr5
Image: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19307
#ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak #MigrantWorkers
Domestic Helpers Concern Groups Criticize Hong Kong Government for Neglecting Domestic Workers' Rights in Coronavirus Preventive Regulations
Since March 29 2020, the HKSAR government has prohibited gatherings of more than 4 people in public place and required a social distance of no less than 1.5 meter. The new rule will last for 14 days.
During the coronavirus outbreak, the footbridges in Mong Kok, where domestic helpers spent their day off, has become fairly empty. On 5 April 2020, concern groups including the Foreign Labour Centre, the Asian Migrants' Union and the chairman of Labour Party Kwok Wing-ken distributed hand sanitizers, masks, takeaway menus and Coronavirus prevention leaflets to the foreign helpers on the footbridge.
Eni Lestari, Chairperson of Asian Migrants' Union said, “It is the Government's responsibility to step up epidemic prevention publicity for foreign domestic helpers,” stressing that "protection of domestic helpers is also for the protection of employer's family".
Tong Hiu-yan, Director of Community Relations at the Foreign Labor Works Centre, said they have received many requests for help from domestic helpers. Most of the workers live with the employers and most of them do not have their own rooms. In other words, they would be asked to work and unable to take proper rest, when staying at thr employer's home on holidays.
Tong criticised the government's Labor Departments for not providing enough guidelines for both employers and domestic helpers. Besides, the Department had no practical measures to protect the rights and interests of the domestic helpers and was unwilling to handle requests of domestic helpers.
Source : InMedia HK #Apr5
Image: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19307
#ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak #MigrantWorkers