Joint Statement by Migrant Domestic Workers’ groups and unions Justice for Migrant Domestic Workers Increase our wage to $4,000 NOW 家務移工工會及團體聯合聲明． 還我公道．加薪四千 Hong Kong’s economy has been very good for the past few years. Yet, migrant domestic workers who work 24 hours a day and are on-call all the time to do hundreds of tedious tasks in households – taking care of the children and the elderly in more than 200,000 families – have not yet been given what we deserve. 香港經濟近數年發展良好，然而，在港大部份廿四小時隨時候命、在廿多萬家庭裏擔當家頭細務、照顧老幼的現代桃姐──家務移工，卻未得到應有的回報。 The salary level, the minimum allowable wage (MAW), of migrant domestic workers is set by the Hong Kong government. For contracts signed since 2 June 2011, the minimum allowable wage is $3,740. Migrant domestic workers’ wage was drastically reduced in year 2000 and again suffered another cut in 2003 that reduced the salary to only HK$3,200. 現時，家務移工的人工，是由政府全權決定，由2011年6月2日至今的合約，最低許可工資規定為每月$3,740。家務移工的工資，在二千年遭大幅削減，在2003年更削至$3,200。 Later on, when the economy got better, the MAW was raised little by little with an additional HK$40, then HK$80, then to a little bit more than HK$100. Due to the very low and infrequent MAW increase, the current wage still is less than the level 13 years ago at $3,800 in 1998. With the inflation and devaluation of the Hong Kong dollar, the value of the wage can be said to have decreased by 20-30% in the past 13 years. 其後經濟怎樣好轉，家務移工的最低許可工資也只獲幾次數十、一百多的增加。現時的工資，比十三年前──1998年的$3,860水平還要低！加上近年通漲、港紙貶值嚴重，家務移工的實際工資在這十多年可以說被削減兩至三成。 Low wage, High Inflation 低工資．高通漲 People’s income should be able to catch up with inflation and should be able to cover living expenses. As part of HK society, migrant domestic workers also spend our salary in Hong Kong for expenses on communication, transportation, food and leisure expenses on holidays, clothes and personal grooming needs. If the food provided by employers is not enough, workers also need to buy food on our own. 工資應得追上通漲，以應付生活開支。家務移工在港生活，也有開支，電話費、休日交通、膳食和消遣，如僱主未有提供足夠食物，家務工也得自行購買食物補充，衣物和個人用品等等。 Many workers are the pillars of our family and are the main breadwinners. We pay for the education of our children or siblings and take care of the needs of our parents. Workers leave their home to work in faraway land to make a living. We work hard but our wage is very low and keeps on getting lower. 很多家務移工也是家庭經濟支柱，為子女供書教學，供養父母，家務移工離鄉別井，為口奔馳，可人工買少見少！ Inflation has been as high as 10.8% for the past two years but for more than ten years, our salary has not been adjusted to cope with the rising cost of goods and services in Hong Kong. 本港這兩年通漲高達10.8%，他們的人工已十多年了，從未追上高昂的物價。 Food allowance, $25 a day 食物津貼$25一日 The standard contract stipulates that employers of migrant domestic workers need to provide food free of charge though there are no details as to what kind and how much food the employers should provide. 至於食物方面，政府標準合約規定，僱主須提供免費膳食，不過，對於什麼樣的膳食，政府完全沒有規定。 If the employers do not provide the food, MDWs should be given an allowance of $775 per month. This translates to only $25 a day! At present, one kilo of vegetables already costs more than $10. Simple meal in a small restaurant normally costs $30 to $40. When the government set the food allowance at $775, they never actually calculated how much is required for enough and decent food. 如僱主沒有提供膳食，則需每月發放$775的膳食津貼，亦即是每日$25，現時在街巿買一斤青菜，也得八至十多元，在外吃一頓飯，一般最少也得三十多四十多元，政府定立$775為食物津貼，根本沒有想過一日三餐，合理的、夠營養的，應是多少。 Increase the MAW to HK$4,000 要求加薪至四千 Domestic work is physically and mentally demanding as it is a round-the-clock work. We do cleaning, marketing and cooking. We make sure that babies, children and the elderly are comfortable and care for them every single minute. On the average, we work 16 hours a day and are available anytime members of the household need us. 家務移工的工作──家居清潔、買菜煮飯、照顧長幼等都是體力和勞心的工作，工作平均每日十六小時，廿四小時隨時候命。 Parents in families employing migrant domestic workers usually both work. With the help of migrant domestic workers, many Hong Kong people can go out to work to earn more money, have more leisure time, and have a life. 香港僱用家務移工的家庭，很多是雙職父母，全靠這班現代桃姐，香港人可以出外打工，賺更多的錢，更多空閑，更好生活。 Migrant domestic workers work hard but we remain poor. Many of us do have enough rest or even a decent place to sleep. Still, the Hong Kong government does not treat migrant domestic workers with social justice. Instead, it promotes discrimination and exclusion of MDWs such as the exemption of MDWs from the Statutory Minimum Wage. 家務移工這樣勞苦工作，卻挨窮，挨肚餓，不夠睡，甚至很多移工沒有合理地方睡覺。 We demand the Hong Kong government to increase our wage now to not less than $4,000. It is very clear that our current wage is not enough to support our needs. We contribute significantly to the Hong Kong economy and to the Hong Kong society yet our wage is greatly reduced during times of crisis while we are merely given crumbs when the economy is good. The current MAW level is unjust and just shows the low regard of the Hong Kong government to the human rights and dignity of migrant domestic workers. 香港政府對家務移工實在有欠公道，更推行更多政策，歧視家務移工，法定最低工資不包括家務移工。 Our call for wage increase is just and urgent. We need not less than HK$4,000 a month a we need it now! 我們要求政府加薪至四千，因為我們現時的工資，根本不夠生活。我們對香港經濟和社會有重大貢獻，我們的工資卻在經濟稍為低微時即大幅遭削減，經濟好轉，又只獲加很少很少。現時的最低許可工資水平實不公不義！香港政府不顧家務移工的人權和尊嚴。