Stop Treating Domestic Workers Like Slaves

A version of this letter was published by The Straits Times on 9 September 2010.

Though I  share some concern as to whether the recent action by the Philippines Government  against labour trafficking and labour exploitation,  would not soon be thwarted by new ways to  ‘profiteer’ from the system; I do think that it is a timely reminder for Singaporeans on what it means to be a fair and responsible employer,  as the POEA contract addresses three key issues – a just wage, a weekly rest day and the OFW’s right to hold onto her own passport.  

While many in Singapore may not agree with a minimum wage of US$400/ S$540, there is no question that migrant domestic workers like all workers should be remunerated decent wages.  At S$540 a month, the typical domestic worker working on a 16 hr work day and a 6 day work week earns a meagre S$1.30 an hour. Is S$1.30 too much to pay for the services of a woman who is expected to care for the young and old, besides cooking, washing, ironing, cleaning and other household duties?   

A migrant domestic worker lives in the household of her employer and her household duties are often never-ending.  Some workers that HOME has encountered work from early morning through late at night especially in households with young active children or the elderly sick. Weekly rest days ensure that the worker is well-rested and productive.  No migrant domestic worker should be denied a worker’s statutory right to a weekly rest day and the right to Sunday worship. 

For too long, the domestic work industry has traded migrant women in domestic work like commodities subject to the market vagaries of demand and supply. We should never support a market that condones slavery-like conditions where the employer or the agent holds onto the passport of the foreign national, thus denying her the right to leave the country even to attend a family emergency. When her mother and brother died in an accident, Janet was not allowed by her employer to return home to her country to attend to the burial.

Although not all, may agree with the actions taken by the Philippines government, there is the need to recognise that these have stemmed from a desire by the country to ensure decent work, decent conditions, decent wages and better social security protection for their nationals.  Regardless of where our domestic workers may come from, let us recognise the contribution of our guest workers by doing what is right and just as a people with a conscience.