Domestic worker union hits back over employer group’s pay freeze petition

A Hong Kong union representing migrant domestic workers has criticized employer groups for advocating a wage freeze, instead calling for stronger protections amid rising living costs. The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADWU) responded to a petition by the International Domestic Service Industry Development Federation and the Quadripartite Alliance for Harmonious Employment Practices (QAHEP) to freeze wages earlier this week.

The FADWU argued that recent pay hikes of about 2% have been insufficient to compensate for inflation, which is expected to reach 2.6% this year. The current monthly food allowance of HK$1,236 that domestic workers are entitled to when employers do not provide meals has been frozen for two years. The union also highlighted cases of exploitation, where low-income families who hire domestic workers often underpay them or fail to provide adequate accommodation.

Currently, households must have a minimum monthly income of HK$15,000 to employ a domestic worker. Many employers earn significantly more, with a majority having incomes above HK$37,800 for a three-person household or HK$54,000 for a family of four. The FADWU urged the government to review the monthly family income eligibility criteria and increase social support for families struggling to meet the minimum income requirement.

Additionally, the union called for a three-way collective bargaining process involving domestic workers, employers, and government officials to address wage and employment conditions fairly.