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Shirley Zhao

About 70 per cent of local domestic helpers earn no more than HK$6,240 a month, less than half the median monthly wage, a survey shows.
Researchers said although the hourly pay was higher than the minimum wage, the helpers had a much heavier workload, which might damage their long-term health.
They said the government should introduce an independent minimum hourly wage for local domestic helpers and make sure they were covered by employee benefits such as paid sick leave and annual holidays.
Local domestic helpers do not enjoy such benefits currently because most of them fail to meet the requirements of working no less than 18 hours a week and for the same employer for at least four consecutive weeks.
The survey, which was conducted by the Domestic Workers General Union between November 1 and December 16, found 15 per cent of the 218 helpers who responded – all women – earned only HK$1,733 a month, and 70 per cent earned no more than HK$6,240 a month, compared with the city’s median monthly wage of HK$14,800.
Only 32 per cent worked for more than 18 hours a week.
Union chairwoman Tse Yin-fai said most employers would only use a local domestic helper for cleaning two or three times a week for a few hours each time, so although the survey found the respondents’ median hourly wage was HK$80, compared with the HK$32.5 minimum wage, helpers could not earn enough to sustain their living every month.
She said the government should introduce a compulsory minimum wage for local domestic helpers.
She suggested the wage be set at HK$95 per hour. For cleaning around the Lunar New Year, when their services were in demand, she suggested a wage of between HK$100 and HK$150 per hour.
“Local domestic helpers are required to do very heavy housework for only several hours,” said Tse. They also suffered health problems caused by breathing in fumes from detergents.
Ng Yin-chun, who has been a local domestic helper for six years, said she once worked for five employers in the same week but still only made about HK$7,000 a month.
She said the heavy work involved strained her wrists, joints, knees and shoulders, so three years ago she switched to being a caretaker for women who had just given birth.
Cheung Yin-foon, who has been a helper for 15 years, said she sometimes worked for more than 10 employers in a month but could only make about HK$8,000.


‘Pay Hong Kong domestic helpers more’: worker doing housework for 10 employees a month still total only $8,000 

A local domestic helper, Lo Fan, at the Hong Kong Domestic Worker General Union in Yuen Long. 27 February 2003

A local domestic helper, Lo Fan, at the Hong Kong Domestic Worker General Union in Yuen Long.

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong Economy

‘Pay Hong Kong domestic helpers more’: worker doing housework for 10 employees a month still total only $8,000

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