請更新您的瀏覽器

您使用的瀏覽器版本較舊,已不再受支援。建議您更新瀏覽器版本,以獲得最佳使用體驗。

Eng

Treat helpers fairly as we stand united

South China Morning Post

發布於 2020年03月28日16:03 • SCMP Editorial
  • With domestic workers feeling the pressure from measures brought in to fight the coronavirus outbreak, employers should remember their responsibilities
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADWU) at press conference to urge the government to specify arrangements for domestic helpers whose employers undergo home quarantine. Photo: Fiona Sun
The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADWU) at press conference to urge the government to specify arrangements for domestic helpers whose employers undergo home quarantine. Photo: Fiona Sun

As Hong Kong struggles to shield itself from the global Covid-19 pandemic, sacrifices in economic and social activities are inevitable. But this does not mean the well-being of some sections of society can be merely cast aside. The situation of domestic helpers is a case in point, with at least 11 having been infected so far. Better arrangements are needed from the quarantining of those newly arrived to protecting others already here.

Quarantine is an essential part of the defence against the latest wave of imported infections. Domestic helpers and their employers must therefore play their part in compliance. Understandably, they may not feel easy living under the same roof when the other party is undergoing home quarantine. But employers have the duty to provide quarantine facilities for those arriving or returning from overseas.

With hundreds of helpers arriving each day, the government cannot be expected to carry the quarantine burden. For those who can afford it, confinement in hotel rooms is an option. Otherwise, new contracts may be postponed. It is good to hear the Labour Department will be flexible when handling cases.

Hong Kong's domestic helpers urge recognition of role in Covid-19 war

If a recent survey by Asian Migrants Coordinating Body is anything to go by, some 14 per cent of helpers who responded have never been given masks or sanitisers by employers. It would be a shame if tens of thousands of workers are left to fend for themselves, many of whom cannot afford overpriced surgical masks. Employers should be reminded that providing a safe working environment is one of their statutory responsibilities.

Concerns have been raised that as families scale down on outdoor activities at weekends, helpers may also be told to stay home on their day off, making them vulnerable to having to work without pay. It is in everyone's interest to avoid socialising now, and helpers should also refrain from gatherings to minimise infections. Instead of making them illegally work on their rest day, employers should appreciate their cooperation in fighting the outbreak. As we stay united to weather the storm, let's not forget the helpers' 390,000-strong workforce is an integral part of our society. They should also be treated fairly as we unite to fight the disease.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

0 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0