Employers Group Slams Window Cleaning Ban for Filipino Domestic Workers

Image Caption: HK Labour Department’s cartoon shows right way of cleaning windows

By Daisy CL Mandap

A support group for Hong Kong employers has sent a letter to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, urging him to stop the implementation of a ban imposed by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office on the cleaning of exterior parts of windows by Filipino domestic workers.

The ban is set to be included in contracts for the hiring of Filipino maids filed with the Philippine Consulate from Oct. 15.

Workers’ groups, on the other hand, applauded the move, saying the Philippine government must be commended for taking up the cudgels for domestic helpers’ safety.

In their letter, the Support Group of Employers of Foreign Domestic Helpers, cited four reasons why the unilateral ban imposed by POLO should be overruled by the Hong Kong government:

1)      most windows in Hong Kong are fixed with grills which can prevent workers from falling out;

2)      it is unreasonable to get the helper to clean only the inside part of windows

3)      this could set a bad precedent for groups that may want to impose various conditions on the workers’ scope of duties; and

4)      the ban bypasses the Hong Kong government as it effectively adds a clause to the standard contract for the hiring of FDHs

In response to the letter, the Hong Kong Labour Department reportedly issued a statement reiterating its concern for the safety of all workers. It added that it was still consulting with the Philippine Consulate on the ban.

During a recent visit to Hong Kong by the new Philippine Labor Secretary, Silvestre Bello, he sought but failed to get the host government’s support for excluding the cleaning the outside part of windows in the list of duties for foreign domestic helpers.

A week later, POLO, through Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre issued a memorandum to all accredited employment agencies saying that from Oct. 15, only employment contracts stamped with the window cleaning exclusion will be accepted for processing.

POLO’s order was immediately applauded by the Association of Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB), a coalition of migrant support groups, while the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies expressed support but with reservations.

AMCB spokesperson Eman Villanueva said, “We welcome POLO’s initiative. It’s a positive move because even with limited capacity and jurisdiction, Labatt de la Torre found a way to respond to our call for improved safety for our workers”.

Thomas Chan, head of the agencies’ group said, “My association supports this idea”. However, he expressed reservations about De la Torre’s plan to print the exclusion directly on the contract, saying this might invalidate the document.

“What we told Labatt is that the exclusion should just be included in a separate document outlining the agencies’ undertaking,” said Chan.

He also admitted that some agencies had reservations about the ban, as they anticipate most employers to express resistance.

“They might be thinking, ‘who would clean the windows then?’, but we plan to educate the employers so hopefully, they would come to accept it”.

Villanueva said that a ban on window cleaning is not unusual as it has been in force in Singapore since 2012, also as a result of accidents involving domestic workers.

But Hong Kong has reportedly balked at the idea because it does not want to open the floodgates to other concern groups demanding changes in the standard employment contract, including an employers’ organization that is pushing for a trial period for newly hired maids.

“Ni-raise na naming iyan noon pang August, pero ang mabilis nilang sagot e, mahihirapan silang i-amend yung standard contract kasi yung mga employers at agencies ay may gusto ding ipabago”, said Villanueva.

Still, he said his group will keep on pressing the government to include the prohibition in the contract to enhance workers’ safety.

(Source: SunWebHK.com)