-

[HIGHLIGHT] Minimum wage, what's that? Migrant workers say they knew little about the already passed minimum wage bill while discussions on the rate are heated

The Young Reporter (2010, October), 43(01), pp. 3.
Author: Jack Aung Min Khin. Editor: Ada Lee.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0007542

BY JACK AUNG MIN KHIN

272,361 South&SE Asians reside in Hong Kong.

72,068 are from places other than Indonesia and the Philippines.

-Latest figures by Census and Statistics Department

Pakistani Mr Aslm Denga, 48, works ten hours a day, six days a week, hauling electronic appliances in Tsim Sha Tsui. He has been doing the job for the past 16 years and earns $200 a day.

With five children aged from one to 15, the money he earns can barely make ends meet. He is the only one working in his family and it is the only job he can find here.

The Legislative Council has passed the minimum wage bill in July and the new law is expected to take effect next year. Although the law does not cover foreign domestic helpers, it does apply to other migrant workers like Mr Denga.

According to 2006 population by Census by the Census and Statistics Department, there are around 60,000 Southeast Asians living in the city, excluding Filipinos and Indonesians, who are mostly employed as domestic helpers and whose minimum salary is prescribed by the Employment Ordinance.

The minimum wage rate is yet to be decided, but if it is set at $33 an hour, as several unions in Hong Kong wish, Mr Denga will earn nearly $2,000 a week, $800 more than what he does now.

Asked about how he felt about that, despite his imperfect English, his answer was clear enough: “I don’t know what minimum wage is.”

Like most of the other bills in Hong Kong, the new law is available on the Legco’s website only in English and Chinese. As some migrant workers have difficulties in reading both languages, they know little about the law.

Mr James Lung Wai-man, chairman of Southern Democratic Alliance, said it was important that migrant workers were informed because they suffered the most from low wages.

“They always earn low wages because their network (in labour market) is smaller than Hong Kong people and their communication skills are worse,” Mr Lung said.

“Even after enforcing the minimum wage policy, ethnic minorities will still be at the bottom line of earning.”

He suggested the minimum wage bill be translated into different languages to help migrant workers.

“If they know about the minimum wage policy, their employers cannot take advantage of them,” he said.

Ms Jennifer Kwong from Christian Action, an organisation for ethnic minorities, agreed with Mr Lung. She said the government was responsible for presenting information in multi-languages on the policy.

“I think the government has not promoted the minimum wage policy well enough. There is no excuse to say that ethnic minorities are of a smaller number and their languages are difficult because everyone has the right to know,” she said.

Although the employers can be taken to court if they pay less than what is required by the new law, she said it was unlikely the migrant workers would voice the injustice “because of a lack of education and knowledge” .

Lawmaker and vice-chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Dr Pan Pey-chyou said they did not fight for any particular group.

“Anyone who works in categories covered by the minimum wage law will enjoy protection of the law,” he said.

Some worry if the rate of the minimum wage is set too high, employers may cut staff to save costs, and low-income earners are considered to be the most vulnerable group who might be laid-off.

Dr Pan said the minimum wage had more than one side to look at. He said they would think carefully before pushing the rate to $33 and would try to convince employers to accept their demands.

“Our voice representing only the workers will not be strong enough compared to other voices. But I think the fact is we had the minimum wage bill passed. It is a victory,” said Dr Pan.

Prof Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, chair professor in political science at the City University of Hong Kong said minimum wage in Hong Kong might fail.

“Minimum wage may work well in a democracy because political parties have to show some respect to electorates. Now, we have limited democracy. Business interests dominate the Legislative Council and labour unions are weak,” Prof Cheng said.

“There is an understanding that minimum wage (in Hong Kong) may not work... Nonetheless it has a symbolic value,” he added.

Despite knowing little, Mr Denga’s hope is simple: earn more in the future to keep his family from going hungry.

EDITED BY ADA LEE

Headlines