On Monday, thousands took to the streets of Hong Kong to demand standard working hours and a universal pension scheme for the annual Labour Day rallies. Foreign domestic worker groups joined in the calls, saying that maids are not included in the discussions around standard working hours.
Ken Tsang (L) and Alan Leong (C) of the Civic Party.
Two separate marches took place; the Federation of Trade Unions said about 2,900 attended their rally while the Confederation of Trade Unions said 2,500 attended theirs, reports the SCMP.
The latter rally, which started in Victoria Park and ended at the main government offices in Admiralty, was attended by the members of the League of Social Democrats, the Civic Party, the newly formed Demosistō party, and the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB) among others.
Joshua Wong (L), Oscar Lai (C), and Derek Lam (R) of Demosistō
In an emailed statement, AMCB said that foreign domestic workers were not included in the discussion leading up to the establishment of a statutory minimum wage, and that they continue to be excluded from the current conversation surrounding regulating working hours.
“Social exclusion of foreign domestic workers is very much alive in Hong Kong and the consequences are dire, ranging from erosion of human rights, marginalisation, discrimination, leading to what can be considered as modern-day slavery,” the group said.
Domestic workers demanded that their minimum wage be increased to HKD5,000 and that their working hours be regulated, holding up signs that said “5K IS OK” and “We are workers, not slaves”.
The abolition of the live-in rule for helpers, which prohibits living outside of their employer’s home, was another one of their demands. The rule has long been criticised by domestic worker and human rights groups for easily allowing exploitation.
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