Solons to lobby vs wage cuts in HK

A group of lawmakers led by Satur Ocampo is in Hong Kong to lobby the territory’s government for the scrapping of the plan to cut the wages of foreign household workers.

More than 130,000 Filipinos are working in the former British colony as domestic helpers.

Before flying to Hong Kong yesterday, Ocampo said the Filipino workers "are disgruntled with the Arroyo administration for its wishy-washy stand on the (wage cut) issue."

"They are asking us if we can help them with their plight," he said.

Ocampo, former spokesman for the communist-led National Democratic Front, is with Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Roseller Barinaga, who chairs the House labor committee, and Rep. Krisel Lagman-Luistro of Albay.

Ocampo said the government of China’s special administrative region should not cut the wages of foreign household helpers since these are already among the lowest-paid workers in the territory.

"They are also the first to suffer substandard living and working conditions. To penalize them further with a 15 to 20 percent pay cut is not only discriminatory but totally unfair and unjust," he said.

The Hong Kong government is intending to effect the pay reduction in March.

Philippine labor officials have traveled to the colony to make a plea for the workers, but apparently, the territory is bent on carrying out its wage cut plan.

While in Hong Kong, Ocampo said he will also meet with officials of labor groups such as the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

His Bayan Muna colleagues, Crispin Beltran and Liza Maza, traveled to Europe and the United States in the latter part of last year. – Jess Diaz