Business News
Hong Kong's army of foreign maids given 20-US-dollar monthly raise
Jun 1, 2011, 12:15 GMT
Hong Kong - Hong Kong's army of live-in foreign maids were awarded a 20-US-dollar-a-month pay rise Wednesday in an annual review by the city's government.
The 4.5-per-cent rise for the 200,000-plus Indonesian, Filipino and Thai helpers took their minimum monthly wage to the equivalent of 481 US dollars.
However, the pay rise fell short of demands by unions representing foreign helpers for a minimum wage of at least 4,000 Hong Kong dollars a month (514 US dollars).
A spokeswoman for the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body said most foreign maids in Hong Kong were struggling to make ends meet because of soaring inflation in the wealthy city.
Foreign maids are common in Hong Kong, living with families and doing housework and childcare duties for working couples.
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