Hong Kong employers’ group urges domestic helper wage freeze, cites poor economy

A Hong Kong employers’ group has called for freezing the minimum salaries of foreign domestic helpers given the economic slowdown, after some unions representing the workers asked for up to a 30 per cent pay rise to HK$6,500 (US$833) a month.

Yung Ma Shan-yee, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association, said on Monday that such a higher base rate would only lead to fewer job opportunities for the workers.

“We don’t support such an increase in the minimum wage under the current economic situation, as many people are experiencing a salary freeze or losing their jobs,” she said.

The employers’ group was responding to the appeal from some migrant workers groups for a raise of up to 30 per cent for Hong Kong’s 370,000 helpers to HK$6,500 a month and for their food subsidy to be at least doubled to HK$2,700.

The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions, which asked for the 30 per cent pay rise on Sunday, blamed current government policy for leaving many helpers in a “hungry and malnourished” condition, saying the value of their work and contribution to the economy had to be reflected in their wages.

But Yung said that a higher minimum wage would affect many low-income employers, such as retired or elderly individuals.