S10032961C

Link: foreign domestic workers-edit

Add to My Profile | More Videos


TRANSCRIPT FOR RADIO STORY

Good morning, today’s issue at hand is the dilemma faced by employers with foreign domestic workers. Now, many of us do have foreign domestic workers in our homes. They eat in our homes, they sleep in our homes, and they take care of our homes. But what is the line we draw in how we treat these people?

Do we treat them like family or as employees? Employers all over Singapore battle between these two choices everyday. There have been cases of both extremes. In the Life for Rent conference, we were introduced to two very different stories of two foreign domestic workers. One maid had a hellish experience in that her employers were literally her worst nightmare. Her employers abused her physically and mentally. They even went so far as to urinate on her head. The other story was totally different from the previous one. This maid fulfilled her ‘Singapore Dream’ so to speak. She’s managed to send all three of her children to university and is now an important figure in her church.

So, what were the key factors in these two stories that caused the stark difference? I think it was the employers’ decisions and the maids’ choices. Family or employee, where do we draw the line?

We went to the streets and conducted a few interviews to find out how Singaporeans are treating their maids in general. Most of our interviewees said that they were treated well. One interviewee even went so far as to say that her stay in Singapore was “fun”, and that her employees and other Singaporeans treated her “like a sister”. We did notice, though, that she had a positive attitude about her. Her likeability and infectious personality may be a factor as to why her employers treat her so well. However, some did mention that they heard of horror stories of maid abuse.

These foreign workers are victims of circumstance; many do not choose to come to a foreign country to work as a maid. One interviewee said she had no choice but to come to Singapore to work because she had six siblings. Her father had passed away some time ago so she had to take on some responsibilities in the household. Many of these foreign workers are highly educated individuals overqualified for the job. Nevertheless, some Singaporeans treat them like they are uneducated slaves for the meager amount of money they pay them every month. Even though a foreign domestic worker is paid, it doesn’t mean it gives employers the right to abuse her mentally, emotionally or physically.

We also asked how they were expecting to be treated and how they want to be treated. Most agree that they didn’t know what to expect as they had heard a mix of different kinds of stories from countrymen who’d worked here before. Some were good and some were bad. However, when asked how they wanted to be treated, almost all agreed that all they want is some respect.

These workers want respect, but how is respect defined for them? Everyone needs privacy; an employer should set out hours in a day when the maid is undisturbed. A space should also be set out for the maid so she’ll be able to have some breathing room. In addition, a domestic worker is not a robot; she needs to have her rest. Thus they would need off days where they’re allowed to go out for the whole day. They can then mingle with people from their own country and be more at ease around them. It’s important that we treat them as human beings with emotions. Occasional praise or even a ‘”thank you” would go a long way in ensuring a domestic help’s happiness with her work.

If we treat our foreign talents with respect, why can’t we do the same for our foreign domestic help? By raising our children, making our homes comfortable and ensuring there’re meals on the table, they contribute to our society as well. Why is it that some of us Singaporeans play dumb to their contributions? That may be because their contributions are hidden behind the confines of their employers’ homes.

On a typical weekend, it’s common to see many foreign domestic workers hanging around Lucky Plaza in Orchard road. It’s nice to see these women just hanging out and having fun. However some employees choose to not allow their maids this one day of rest. It is true that some maids do choose to not have off days but I think that the option should at least be given to them. To give these workers’ a choice of one day of freedom is a basic right that should be allowed to all maids. It’s a part of respecting these maids, which is what they want.

We do not need to treat them like family, as they are after all, employees. But because they live in such close proximity to us and take care of our lives, as a “thank you”, we should treat them with the respect they deserve and even with warmth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT FOR THE INTERVIEW QUOTED

WHAT’S YOUR OCCUPATION IN SINGAPORE?
DH, (domestic helper)

HOW OLD ARE YOU IF YOU DON’T MIND ME ASKING?
25 years

AND YOUR NAME PLEASE?
Marcy

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN SINGAPORE?
3 and a half years

WHAT ARE YOUR WORKING CONDITIONS LIKE IN SINGAPORE?
It is good.

OK. WHY DID YOU COME HERE TO WORK?
To earn money, to support my family, my father passed away a long time ago.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR FAMILY?
Six

AND WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?
Philippines

SO WHAT DID YOU EXPECT WORKING IN SINGAPORE WILL BE LIKE? DID YOU EXPECT IT TO BE HARD?
I thought it’d be fun.

HOW DID YOU FIND WORKING IN SINGAPORE? WAS IT UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
Yes, it is fun.

DID YOU FIND IT HARD TO ADJUST WHEN YOU FIRST GOT HERE? WAS IT HARD FOR YOU?
A little bit.

HOW TO SINGAPOREANS TREAT YOU IN GENERAL?
They treat me well, like a sister.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SINGAPOREANS?
They are good.

WHAT DO YOU SINGAPOREANS THINK OF YOU, AS A FOREIGN WORKER ?
They think like their sister.

LIKE FAMILY?
My employers treat me like family.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SINGAPORE?
It is very clean.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO A FOREIGN WORKER IN A FOREIGN LAND?
I think they want to feel wanted and respect.



-Charmaine