Is hiring a domestic helper in Hong Kong for under 4000HKD modern day slavery?

[bryant.english]

I keep toying with the idea of hiring a helper and could not afford more than the 4-5K HKD per month that seems to be the going rate. What stops me each time is the niggling feeling that it is taking the piss out of a poor person? Please, be nice to each other!

[Mat]

1. the going rate is below that - 4/5K is above the "normal rate"
2. many ppl in many countries work for less than that
3. it is slavery if you mak it slavery (ie treat her badly, leave her no rest time...)

[AGxM]

Are you toying withthe idea because you actually need additional help to keep your home/life in order or merely because it is the thing to be seen to do? Maybe, the reasoning behind the need for the helper will help deal with your 'moral dilema'

[HowardCoombs]

If you expect normal working hours (8h per day with breaks; not 12 nor 16),
If you feed them like a normal person (3 full meals a day, food they like (not scraps)),
If you treat them as a normal human (their own room, privacy, personal space),
If you treat them as part of your household (birthday presents, xmas presents etc),
If you treat them as a friend (loan money for special situations),

Then my answer is no : 4000 (plus room and board) is a perfectly fair wage; far more than what they could get at home.

Alas, there are many who pay less and expect a lot more; thats when it borders on and/or becomes institutional slavery.

HC

[Skyhook]

You'll find in actual reality, the "poor maid" is able to save most of that money each month, as all her other living costs are paid for by the employer, ie FREE electricity, FREE Air Conditioning, FREE GAS, FREE heating, FREE meals etc etc.

FDH's manage to save more each month, than most low paid/unskilled Hong Kong workers who serve you on a daily basis. Be that the door man of your apartment block, who earn between $5,700 and $6,800 per month, or the low paid waitress at KFC, or the dude serving you at 7 Eleven, who all have to pay their living,transport,food costs, with little to nothing saved each month.

[London2HK]

You'll find in actual reality, the "poor maid" is able to save most of that money each month, as all her other living costs are paid for by the employer, ie FREE electricity, FREE Air Conditioning, FREE GAS, FREE heating, FREE meals etc etc.

FDH's manage to save more each month, than most low paid/unskilled Hong Kong workers who serve you on a daily basis. Be that the door man of your apartment block, who earn between $5,700 and $6,800 per month, or the low paid waitress at KFC, or the dude serving you at 7 Eleven, who all have to pay their living,transport,food costs, with little to nothing saved each month.

Couldn't of said it better myself, my thoughts exactly.

[HowardCoombs]

You'll find in actual reality, the "poor maid" is able to save most of that money each month, as all her other living costs are paid for by the employer, ie FREE electricity, FREE Air Conditioning, FREE GAS, FREE heating, FREE meals etc etc.

That may certainly be true, but I dont ever recall reading/hearing stories of abuse, maltreatment, malnutrition, working 16h, sleeping with no aircon in rooms with no windows and many more horror stories about the guy who works as a doorman nor any 7/11 workers.
The sad fact is that there are a lot of horrible employers out there that treat their helpers worse then their beloved pets. They may not be "poor maid" but there are many abused and maltreated maids.

HC

[bryant.english]

Are you toying withthe idea because you actually need additional help to keep your home/life in order or merely because it is the thing to be seen to do? Maybe, the reasoning behind the need for the helper will help deal with your 'moral dilema'

I don't do things because it's 'seen as the thing to do'. Anyone will tell you I'm no follower of fashion. We could really do with the help with our house and two boys.

[bryant.english]

Couldn't of said it better myself, my thoughts exactly.

Oh, I see, other people are poorly paid too, guess it's okay then!

[hullexile]

I think Howard summed it up, whether it is slavery or not has little to do with the money but the way they are treated. They can be almost members of the family or they can be abused slaves but in both cases paid the same.

Just for reference, the going rate for a live in maid in the Philippines is somewhere between HK$350-550 per month.