Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday called on all homeowners to treat their housemaids better and bring their working conditions in line with those enjoyed by garment workers.
Speaking to about 20,000 garment workers in Kampong Speu province’s Chbar Mon city, Mr Hun Sen said that all homeowners should understand the plights faced by maids and help improve their livelihoods.
“I want to tell those who have maids that you have to take care your maids and solve any problems for them,” he said. “Because they are poor, they come to work for you.”
“You have to understand that garment workers have break time and days off, but the maids who work in houses do not have break time or days off during public holidays or weekends,” he added.
Mr Hun Sen said that all homeowners should be more respectful toward their maids and offer them the same time off that garment workers get.
“I want to appeal to all homeowners who afford to hire maids, please take care of them,” Mr Hun Sen said. “Please, do not treat them poorly and affect their honour and dignity.”
Yim Sothy, president of the Association of Domestic Workers, said she was pleased to hear the premier speak about the working conditions of maids.
“It is good that the government talked about domestic workers, because they have never been looked after before,” she said. “We expect that after the Prime Minister’s appeal, our maids’ working conditions will improve.”
Ms Sothy said that domestic workers are often overworked, not given holidays, are paid low wages and do not have access to healthcare.
“Maids are getting between $100 and $150 per month, and they work without getting much time off,” she said. However, most of the homeowners who employ them are foreigners who respect and follow the country’s laws, whereas some of the Cambodian employers do not do so.”
Ms Sothy noted that there are about 250,000 domestic workers in the country that need their working conditions improved.
Srey Nak, a 38-year-old domestic worker who has been working as a maid since she was 13, said yesterday that she was happy to hear the Prime Minister speak about her profession.
“I think it is good news for us as maids because I have never heard him talk about our issues before,” she said.
Ms Nak added that she hopes the premier’s comments lead to concrete action by the government.
“If the government really pays attention to us, then maybe we will get better wages and break time, as well as holidays and some benefits” she said.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/492834/improve-maids-working-conditions-pm/