Our Desk | On the plight of domestic helpers

Lynzy Valles

In a recently published article in MDT, the Consul General of The Philippines, Ms Deapera stated that migrant workers, specifically Filipinos, are “doing well” in Macau. Not that I disagree with this, but how do you really define “doing well” especially in a region where domestic workers commonly earn less than MOP4,000 while living in city with the smallest units costing over MOP6,000?
I bet the housing prices and the city’s high standard of living are just some of the challenges which migrants face in what has already become a “normal” situation.
In addition, these migrant workers with low-
paying jobs can encounter either exploitative employers or forced labor, which a local expert says is  “less likely” to happen in the city, unlike in Hong Kong where domestic helpers are forced to work for their employers ‘til who-knows-when’ because they “live in” with them.
At some point, the words “less likely” triggered my suspicion. All of these workers are prone to exploitation – having been surrounded by household helpers, 90 percent of whom have experienced forced labor. And these workers are voiceless. I don’t think they can do anything about it because they consider themselves to be “minority” workers in the territory under a specific “contract,” a contract which only very few understand since it’s usually only written in either Chinese or Portuguese.
I’m convinced that it’s fair to say that migrant workers in general play a huge part in Macau’s society and it’s unjust for them, especially household helpers, not to have access to Macau’s regulations and laws in order to exercise their rights.
A recent report even stated that exploited workers tend to be hesitant to approach the labor bureau. The reason is simple. They feel intimidated because they do not have any knowledge or idea of their “basic” rights. And if they have the guts to ask questions about their rights, they still won’t receive an accurate answer because aside from only having them listed in two languages, there is also an inconsistency in those rules and regulations.
Therefore, the problem here is not about whether the helper is “staying in” or “staying out” of the employer’s residence, but about how employers should abide by the working hours stipulated in the signed contracts, which should also be available in English.
I know numerous domestic helpers who work over 60 hours per week and get paid an amount less than MOP3,500 per month. Though the government has set a minimum salary for this category of work, I don’t think it’s fair to only get the minimum wage for any overtime hours worked.
That is why I’m convinced that exploitation is not “less likely” to happen in Macau because as long as these workers, who are blue card holders, are under a “contract,” there is still a high chance that they will be exploited and underpaid. These employees do not really have a choice because aside from not having access to information about their labor rights, most of them are the sole provider for their families.
I have to agree with Mr Paul Pun, Caritas secretary, who said, “The human resources should periodically review the yearly work salary [of domestic workers] for them to have a clear reference salary, […] a decent salary.”
In Hong Kong, where household workers usually “live in,” the minimum wage recently rose to HK4,210, while in Macau, the minimum housing allowance of MOP500 has remained stagnant despite housing prices tripling over the last ten years. Some workers even live in a flat with 10 fellow domestic helpers just to reduce costs.
The gist here is that a “decent” salary with a “decent” housing allowance would be much appreciated by them, and only then we will be able to say that they’re “doing well.”