Push for day off for Singapore maids
Updated
Civil rights groups in Singapore are launching a campaign for foreign maids to get a day off, to raise awareness of the lack of fundamental labour rights being afforded to foreign domestic workers.
Two years ago, Singapore ruled out giving domestic helpers, the majority of whom are females Indonesia and the Philippines, mandatory rest days, saying it would be inconvenient.
The last time a survey was conducted, it was found that only 50 percent of foreign maids were granted regular days off, either weekly or monthly by their employers.
Jolovan Wham, is the executive director of HOME, the Humanitaritan Organisation of Migration Economics, has told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program, says his organisation still sees many cases off domestic workers forced to work all the time.
"Right now we still see cases of domestic workers who don't receive any days off at all," he said.
"We have seen quite a number of such cases where for two whole years, the worker works for the employer and does not receive a single rest day
Cases of employers phisically abusing foreign domestic workers are not uncommon in Singapore, but tougher sentences on employers in recent years have seen a steady decline in cases of violence against foreign maids.
In an effort to raise awareness of the lack of fundamental labour rights being afforded to foreign domestic workers, three civil rights groups are launching the year-long DAY OFF campaign to encourage employers to give their maids at least one day off a month.
Thus far Singpore's Manpower Ministry has excluded foreign domestic workers from Singapore's Employement Act, which guarantees a minimum of one day off per week.
Saleemah Ismail, the Singapore president of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), says this new campaign is urging employers to take their own steps for the right of their workers.
"If the majority of employers do not want to give their domestic workers a day off voluntarily, then perhaps we need to look in to legislation," she said.
"But before we go in to legislation, we want to do it through public education, to change their hearts and minds."
