210/1
GR5330 RESTRICTED
FM MANILA
TO DESKBY 13083OZ F CO
TELNO 175
OF 13003OZ APRIL 87
Restricted
AND TO DESK BY 13033OZ HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
FCO TELNO 111: FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS (FDH'S) IN HONG KONG
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON THE DFA (CONSULAR AND ASIA/PACIFIC
SECTIONS), THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS) AND THE PHILIPPINES OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT AGENCY (POEA) ON
8/9 APRIL TO EXPLAIN THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE TERMS AND CON-
DITIONS OF SERVICE OF FDHS IN HONG KONG, LEAVING A COPY OF HIS SPEAKING NOTES IN EACH CASE. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SEE
PHILIPPINE CONSUL GENERAL REYES BUT DFA OFFICIALS UNDERTOOK TO
PASS A COPY OF THE SPEAKING NOTES TO HIM BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE.
2. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT WILL REACT
BADLY TO THE PROPOSALS. THE INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE RATES WAS
WELCOMED AND THE REASONS FOR THE OTHER MEASURES UNDERSTOOD. IN GENERAL, HONG KONG HAS A GOOD REPUTATION AS AN EMPLOYER HERE. THE PHILIPPINE AUTHORITIES HAVE MORE DIFFICULTIES WITH SAUDI ARABIA,
JAPAN AND SINGAPORE.
3. THE ONLY SUBSTANTIVE QUERY CAME FROM THE POEA DIRECTOR WHO RAISED AN ILLUSTRATIVE CASE OF À FILIPINA WHO LEFT HER EMPLOYER
BECAUSE OF ABUSE AND FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN HERSELF IN
HONG KONG WHILST HER CASE WAS PENDING BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTION
ON PART-TIME WORK. WOULD SHE BE DEPORTED IN TWO WEEKS AND HAVE TO
PURSUE HER CASE AGAINST HER EMPLOYER FROM MANILA? HE ALSO COM-
MENTED THAT HONG KONG IMMIGRATION TENDED TO GIVE FDHS QUOTE A
ROUGH TIME UNQUOTE AND THAT FEMALE TOURISTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES
WERE OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR FDHS. COULD THERE BE A SEPARATE
IMMIGRATION QUEUE FOR FDHS?
4. DFA OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT CONSUL GENERAL REYES WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH FEES BEING CHARGED BY HONG KONG EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES, OFTEN DOUBLE THE LEGAL MAXIMUM. HE WAS THREATENING TO REFUSE TO AUTHENTICATE CONTRACTS FROM SUCH AGENCIES.
5. WE INTEND TO SUBMIT A FORMAL NOTE VERBALE ONCE THE NEW CONDITIONS ARE APPROVED. GRATEFUL IF HONG KONG COULD LET US KNOW DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT AND EFFECTIVE DATE FOR NEW MINIMUM WAGE. GRATEFUL ALSO FOR COPIES IN DUE COURSE OF REVISED PAMPHLETS (PARA 4(D) OF HONG KONG TELNO 1128 TO FCO REFERS).
PAYNE
YYYY
MGSMAN 5193
HKD SEAD
Restricted
19