Foreign maids in HK march today vs tax plan

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong will join today maids from other Asian countries in a march to protest a HK$400-levy on their salaries expected to be announced on March 5.

Organizers from the Asian Migrant Coordinating Body, a coalition of domestic helpers from different countries, said more than 5,000 maids are to take part in what is expected to be the biggest rally against the levy.

The new measure imposes HK$9,600 levy on every standard two-year contract for foreign maids, resulting in a HK$400 monthly deduction from the current minimum wage of HK$3,270.

"It’s still the foreign domestic helpers who will suffer," said Maita Santiago, Migrante International secretary general.

Santiago, whose organization helps overseas Filipino workers, said foreign maids are among the lowest paid in the territory, receiving a minimum wage of only HK$3,670 (P22,680).

Hong Kong authorities said the new tax measure is needed to cushion the impact of the economic crisis on the territory, calling on foreign domestics to "share the burden."

Around 154,000 Filipinos work as domestics in the former British colony.

Hong Kong officials are expected to announce the wage cut on March 5.

Santiago also chided Foreign Affairs officials who seemed to have taken a resigned attitude to the issue.

"Their actions show that they have given up," she said, citing in particular Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople and Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas.

Santiago also said Sto. Tomas and President Arroyo should be blamed for setting a precedent when they did not oppose a 20-percent wage cut on factory workers in Taiwan in 2001 and a 25-percent wage cut for unskilled OFWs in Saudi Arabia.