Foreign domestic workers (FDW) are ubiquitous in Singapore; you can see them in droves on Sundays, taking a day off from the tiresome week.
Maids are like miracle workers, from cleaning the house to cooking and taking care of children and elderly and people tend to (willfully) forget that they are also human.
Working from the moment they get up till bedtime, they only earn about $500 or so a month and if the roles were reversed, we’d be complaining and whining and I am pretty sure, you’d be demanding OT pay, cause I know I would.
The underlying issues
There are deep-seated issues in the way Singaporeans perceive FDWs, and according to a survey in 2017, 60% of domestic workers in Singapore were exploited.
If the report is used as a representation of Singapore as a whole, more than 140,000 maids were exploited.
And in an article by Anthony Bourdain’s popular (and sometimes controversial) series, Parts Unknown, it sheds light on the underbelly of the maid agencies in Singapore.
The article talks about how the monikers of maid agencies insinuate that FWDS are “relegated to a lower rung of Singaporean society than the majority of the population.”
A scathing article by Al Jazeera English talks how FDWs are put on display and how they will be ”working” such as cradling a baby doll and pushing each other around in wheelchairs at the maid agencies.
Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation of Migration Economics (HOME), a migrant workers advocacy group based in Singapore, mentioned that some agencies market their domestic workers like “commodities”.
“Racial stereotypes are sometimes used in transactions with patrons. Some of the stereotypes include Filipinos as ‘smarter’, Indonesians as ‘less bright’ and Burmese as ‘sweet-natured and compliant’,” he said.
While the article might seem a little exaggerated or that it is all gloom and doom for FWDs, that is not the case.
There is progress
There is a performance bond of $6,000 in place now where employers have to cough up $6,000 if they abuse their maid and there is also a mandatory day off weekly for them.
In the article from Parts Unknown, they interviewed May, who is happy with her employer and has been working for them for four years and she hopes to stay with them as long as she can.
“But even if they’re not good, I don’t want to go back to this agency! I’d rather go back to the Philippines,” she said.
In a way, they need us as much as we need them.
Always quarrel with your bae? Then you need to watch this video and learn this trick on how to resolve arguments without any compromise or apology (and also subscribe to Goody Feed YouTube channel):
This article was first published on goodyfeed.com
Read Also
- Couple Accused Of Making Maid Pour Hot Water On Herself & Forced Her To Drink Water Mixed With Floor Cleaner
- Maid Kidnapped Kids ‘Coz She’s Unhappy That Her Phone was Confiscated
- Footage of Maid Abusing Dog Went Viral; AVA Has Stepped in
Do you love writing? Do you want a platform to showcase your works? Goody Feed is looking for part-time writers to join the team! Click here to find out more
Featured image: edition.cnn.com
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
Read Also:
- Woman Tried Bribing Officer in S’pore Immigration, Thinking It’s a M’sia Officer
- There Might Not Be Crazy Rich Asians 2 in the Near Future
- Everything About Donald Trump’s Controversial Cabinet’s Picks That Are Known So Far
- Pet-Friendly Cafe Just 10 Minutes Away From JB CIQ Has Furry Floral Decor, Pastries & Mains
- 4 Handrolls For S$4 At Japanese Handroll Bar In Duxton Road On 17 November 2024
- Everything About The Deepfake Nude Photo Scandal in S’pore Sports School
Advertisements
