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Ethnic minority groups demonstrate for equal opportunities, outside the Hong Kong government headquarters in Admiralty in October 2018. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
OpinionLetters

Letters | Hong Kong wage freeze would push ethnic minority workers deeper into poverty

  • Lower education levels and poor Chinese-language skills already make it hard for ethnic minority workers to make ends meet. A wage freeze would be a heavy blow
Hong Kong economy
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Letters
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October 17 was United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a day to remind all to come together to respect the human rights and dignity of people living in poverty. Yet, in Hong Kong, it slipped by silently, without a word of mention or news reporting.

Poverty is a violation of human rights and governments bear great responsibility in its reduction. Under the economic effects of Covid-19, many low-income workers in Hong Kong have become jobless or underemployed, yet the Minimum Wage Commission failed to reach a consensus at their biennial review of the statutory minimum wage.

It is very likely that there will be no pay adjustment, and the statutory minimum wage will remain at HK$37.50 for another two years starting May 2021. Hong Kong Unison is concerned about the freezing of the statutory minimum wage, as it will have a disproportionate impact on the city’s ethnic minority communities.

04:06

Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups struggle as city battles Covid-19 and recession

Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups struggle as city battles Covid-19 and recession

According to the “Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report on Ethnic Minorities 2016”, even after policy intervention, the proportion of South Asian working poor was a startling 19 per cent, compared to the 8 per cent overall poverty rate; and the situation has not improved significantly in recent years.

If the minimum wage remains stagnant and workers’ incomes cannot keep up with inflation, the livelihood conditions of low-income ethnic minorities will worsen. Such a move cannot help alleviate poverty, let alone eradicate the problem.

It is no surprise that working poverty is attributable to the lower earnings of ethnic minority employees due to relatively low education and skill levels. Many ethnic minorities are engaged in “3D” jobs – i.e., demeaning, dangerous and dirty jobs – because of their low Chinese-language ability and inferior education levels. The lack of a comprehensive “Chinese as a second language” policy is one of the main causes.

03:05

What's it like for Hong Kong ethnic minority students to take DSE, the city's university entrance exams?

What's it like for Hong Kong ethnic minority students to take DSE, the city's university entrance exams?
Six years into the implementation of the “Second Language Learning Framework”, today the Chinese proficiency of many ethnic minority youths is still at Primary 2 level after 12 years of primary and secondary education. Education is a tool for poverty alleviation; equitable education opportunities can help lift ethnic minorities out of the poverty cycle towards upward social mobility.

To many from the ethnic minorities, the minimum wage is just a drop in the bucket for survival needs, far from sufficient for living with dignity. The government should delay no more to improve education policies for ethnic minorities and seriously consider the negative repercussions of freezing the statutory minimum wage for the most vulnerable in the society.

Phyllis Cheung, executive director, Hong Kong Unison

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