Indonesian Maid Salary to increase

[Girl_powerful]

It is fine to increase their salary but Singapore government should reduce or even remove the government levy/taxes. It is getting too expensive to hire a domestic helper. Every Good government has the duty to look after the interest of it citizens.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/internation...november/537983

Singapore to Increase Indonesian Maid Salaries After November
Amelia Tan - Straits Times | August 13, 2012

Hiring an Indonesian maid in Singapore will be more expensive by year's end.

Employers hiring such maids from November will have to sign a contract with a clause stipulating that the maid must be paid at least S$450 (US$360).

Another clause will state that if she works on all her four weekly rest days each month, she has to be paid another S$70 ($56), or S$17.50 ($14) for each day off she works.

These two clauses will be in the contracts issued by the Indonesian government. But how far they will go to ensure Indonesian maids are compensated fairly depends on the rigor of enforcement — and the Indonesian Embassy's record in this has been patchy.

Nonetheless, embassy counsellor Sukmo Yuwono stressed that from now on the embassy will take a tough stance on its minimum-salary guidelines, and employers and maid agents who flout the terms of the contract will be barred from hiring and recruiting Indonesian maids.

Contracts now in force already state maids must be paid a minimum of S$450 a month, but this clause has hardly been enforced.

It is an uphill task to get maid agents in Singapore and the recruiters in Indonesia to play by the rules.

The Straits Times reported last week that Singapore agents have been working with their Indonesian partners to circumvent the policy pertaining to the sharing of the cost of recruiting and training these maids, which was introduced by Jakarta on May 1; about 260 Indonesian maids were brought in through the "back door" as a result.

Add to this Singapore's lack of a minimum wage policy for maids; salaries, fixed by market forces, have settled in the S$420 ($337) to S$450 range for Indonesian maids.

Contracts by the Philippine government state that their maids are to be paid at least S$498 (US$400), but Filipino maids generally get S$420 to S$450 a month.

Maid agents say some maids, grateful to have a job, do not complain if they get less than the stipulated sum; others are too afraid to complain.

Current contracts are silent on how much Indonesian maids should be paid for working on their day off, which now comes once a month.

Sukmo said that with the new contract spelling out that maids are to be paid S$70 if they work on all four of their days off in a month, Jakarta is aligning its policies with those of Singapore's.

The Singaporean government announced this year that employers taking on new maids and those whose maids are renewing their work permits from January 1 must give their maids a day off every week.

The Singaporean government said employers can pay their maids for working on their days off, but the agreement must be in black and white.

There are some 206,000 foreign maids in Singapore, and about half of them are from Indonesia.

Sukmo said all Singapore-bound maids will be told of the S$450 minimum salary they should get.

He added, "I'll investigate each case, and not hesitate to suspend agents and employers who do not follow the rules."

The names of offending agents and employers will go into the Indonesian government's online database, which lists the particulars of maids, employers, maid agents, training centers and recruiters.

Some maid agency representatives here expressed doubt about the enforceability of the clauses.

Some pointed out that Indonesian recruiters and maid agencies here have sealed deals to under-pay the maids they bring in.

Orange Employment Agency owner Shirley Ng said, "Adequate policing must be done in both countries to ensure a level playing field for all agents. Some employers are drawn to certain agencies because their maids ask for less."

Benny Liew of Comfort Employment said, however, that the higher salary enshrined in the clauses may attract higher-quality and experienced maids.

Not all employers try to get a maid on the cheap; some say they are prepared to pay more for experienced, self-starting maids.

Jeweller Eileen Tjandra, 42, gives her Indonesian maid a monthly day off and pays her S$520 ($417) a month — above the market rate for experienced maids.

She said, "My maid is responsible and requires minimal supervision. I'll give her a S$30 ($24) raise in the next few months to reward her good performance."

[Kangadrool]

Other garments can dictate min wage for their sillyzens working in foreign country which is out of their jurisdiction, but our garment how come cannot de (not even for their own locals)?

Edited August 15, 2012 by Kangadrool

[Deckbuild]

Other garments can dictate min wage for their sillyzens working in foreign country which is out of their jurisdiction, but our garment how come cannot de (not even for their own locals)?

 

 

Because Singapore citizen is rich enough, we are world richest already

[Mllcg]

we are an employer to the maid. but how come still must pay levy?

[Vid]

we are an employer to the maid. but how come still must pay levy?

 

Because you must pay your ministers' salary because they are also your servants

Edited August 15, 2012 by Vid

[Jman888]

we are an employer to the maid. but how come still must pay levy?

 

 

you are already the owner of your car but you still have to pay COE after 10 years [laugh]

[Watwheels]

we are an employer to the maid. but how come still must pay levy?

Your car, your house(property tax) you own but still got to pay tax. From where did you just crawl out from?

 

Companies who hire foreign workers also pay levy. Those ignorant ppl kao peh hire sgp employees must pay cpf. Same what. Hire FW pay levy. To the employer it's also pay but to different pockets. Aiya sometimes I feel that some sgporeans are living in a world of their own, so ignorant.

[Mllcg]

Your car, your house(property tax) you own but still got to pay tax. From where did you just crawl out from?

 

Companies who hire foreign workers also pay levy. Those ignorant ppl kao peh hire sgp employees must pay cpf. Same what. Hire FW pay levy. To the employer it's also pay but to different pockets. Aiya sometimes I feel that some sgporeans are living in a world of their own, so ignorant.

 

which is lower?

 

FW levy or cpf? lol

[Taipan49]

Well the Indonesian government is going to make it stricter as the years go by coming up to 2017. So better get used to higher wages as other countries will follow suit.

 

So glad I don't have a maid. Seems to be so troublesome. Prefer an easier life. (and yes, I do have kids)

[Nzy]

you are already the owner of your car but you still have to pay COE after 10 years [laugh]

 

Nobody owns a car in Sg. You just lease it from the govt for 10 years at the current market rate which depends on the demand at that point of time. After 10 years you don't want to renew your lease then you'll have to scrap or export it lo.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Nzy

[Shull]

$450 (Rp 3.3 mil) is already very close to what most fresh uni grad can earn in Indonesia.. Imagine those working in HK and TW...

[Jman888]

$450 (Rp 3.3 mil) is already very close to what most fresh uni grad can earn in Indonesia.. Imagine those working in HK and TW...

 

pity them some cant even buy a cup of starbucks drink with one day wages

 

but their instant noodle only 10 cents

[Shull]

pity them some cant even buy a cup of starbucks drink with one day wages

 

but their instant noodle only 10 cents

 

I came back from Jakarta last weekend.. with 1 carton of their Indomie Mee Goreng.. each packet only Rp 1,500... :D which is 20 cents..

[Kiadaw]

$450 (Rp 3.3 mil) is already very close to what most fresh uni grad can earn in Indonesia.. Imagine those working in HK and TW...

 

I believe Singapore are considered one of the worse place (outside the middle east) for countries that still used cheap foreign maids. I believe most of our FW pay & condition are far below what could be considered acceptable from a Human rights & adequant living standard in almost all 1st world countries.

 

I read a report that only the middle eastern countries & Singapore still do not have compulsatory weekend off for maids (this will change soon I presume). I think it also says the employers in Singapore are also not the bested, which I totally find it hard to dispute.

 

The only advantages we have over the other location is prehaps only geography.

[Kiadaw]

I came back from Jakarta last weekend.. with 1 carton of their Indomie Mee Goreng.. each packet only Rp 1,500... :D which is 20 cents..

 

1 packet (not one pack of 6 or cup noodle) of Mee Goreng or any instant noodle cost about 1

[Sunny]

time to get more maids from Myanmar

they are generally friendly, smart and quite hardworking .............and of cos cheaper than those from indonesia/philippines

[Thaiyotakamli]

Nobody owns a car in Sg. You just lease it from the govt for 10 years at the current market rate which depends on the demand at that point of time. After 10 years you don't want to renew your lease then you'll have to scrap or export it lo.

even house also not urs after 99 years, all things are not urs..... i sound like communism hhaha

[Thaiyotakamli]

$450 (Rp 3.3 mil) is already very close to what most fresh uni grad can earn in Indonesia.. Imagine those working in HK and TW...

but the things all cheap there