Should maids be given a day off every week?

[3Boys]

LKVM:

Dear vk2010 and 3Boys I would request you not to take things personal and maybe its time for you to go to another thread and let this thread rest in peace for sometime!!

I merely made the request that issues be discussed as issues, and no aspersions be cast on any poster. The comment about 'old' tinted glasses was clearly directed at myself, a sarcastic sideswipe seeking to undermine the poster. Read that post yourself, and then see the denial, then consider the duality of those 2 responses.

I find it hard to parrot the politically correct line when I feel that something is out of sync, if that makes me the lightning rod, then that's my lot in life I suppose

[3Boys]

1amber:

Let's not provoke by saying standards of employers have deteriorated, why can't they just give some time off, and other derogatory remarks. Doesn't mean that if you can handle something, then someone who cannot is a bad employer.

I think if it has been stated in the thread that maid's standards have deteriorated, as a matter of opinion, then I believe that suggesting that it is perhaps employer's standards have deteriorated is fair comment, yes?

Its not meant to be provocative, it is my true opinion. Some households in Singapore have simply forgotten how to manage without a maid. There are perhaps a true MINORITY for which the sky will fall down if they don't have a maid 24/7, but everyone who keeps their maid confined uses that as a smokescreen. It should be scrutinised.

Further, I do not see why my personal experience has any less validity than others. I've brought in what I observed in my childhood with my parents, my working experience, and personal philosophies on the matter. I have shared as openly as anyone and more than many. If people are lobbying for a position (keep maid contracts between employer and maid) based on personal experience, can I (make off-days universal) not do the same?

Households in many developed countries with full time working parents manage without maids in the majority. We should aim to get there. We are the outlier, not they, and we ought to get ourselves back to normal, don't you agree?

[ChiefKiasu]

The biggest thing that obstructs free speech are personal attacks and name calling. A lot of good points have been brought out from the various sides of the issue. Let us not waste all of that by getting too personal. If the personal attacks continue, we will have to lock this thread.


Thank you.

[3Boys]

nms1:

Looking at the press over the last few days the government in under a lot of international pressure to ratify the ILO treaty on migrant workers which would mean the weekly day off having to be written into law.


I agree with what most people have said, that there needs to be a total review of the MOM regulations and other legal aspects of maid employment before this change should be made. Just as only a minority of maids are being abused, only a minority will get into trouble if given a day off but their employers should not be made to suffer for that. Consulting with the maid agencies alone is not the way to go as they will always protect their interests rather than the interests of the maids and/or the employers.

If we, as employers, want to change things then I believe we should focus on this, not the argument that people can't cope without a maid for 1 day a week. That is an argument that will not really stand up for most people especially given that the vast majority of the world's population survives without any kind of domestic help. If we have children then we have made that choice and we should be looking after them. Don't argue that you work harder than your maid - of course you do, you are the parent. She is just an employee. If you have elderly/sick relatives to look after then the situation is not of your choice but it is a very small minority who really don't have anyone who can step in for a few hours on a Sunday to help out.

Oh my, how come you can say the exact same things as I without getting bashed??

I need to go back to Engrish class...

[verykiasu2010]

3Boys:

verykiasu2010:

some forum writers still using the old tinted glasses from last century mah ....how to see what you see

vks2010,
really, if you have something to say to me, then say it, don't need to dodge and use innuendo. Don't worry, I won't bite.....

why must you take it that it is referring to you ? it is equally applicable to anyone opposed to your view. :rotflmao:

[verykiasu2010]

3Boys:

LKVM:

Dear vk2010 and 3Boys I would request you not to take things personal and maybe its time for you to go to another thread and let this thread rest in peace for sometime!!

I merely made the request that issues be discussed as issues, and no aspersions be cast on any poster. The comment about 'old' tinted glasses was clearly directed at myself, a sarcastic sideswipe seeking to undermine the poster. Read that post yourself, and then see the denial, then consider the duality of those 2 responses.

I find it hard to parrot the politically correct line when I feel that something is out of sync, if that makes me the lightning rod, then that's my lot in life I suppose

I am quite sure when I composed that post I made sure it was neutral. I re-read it and it is still neutral. You should not have taken it to be directed at you. It is your own interpretation. You could have used it to apply to those who insist their maids will get pregnant the moment they are let out of their house.

[moonee]

3boys… Are u a reporter or u doing some kind of market survey here?

[3Boys]

moonee:

3boys.... Are u a reporter or u doing some kind of market survey here?

Absolutely not. You can go review my posting history.

[SMH FOREST]

3Boys:

SMH FOREST:

You can't see why as you are not living in my life... to be fair to others, dont use your own standard to measure others... there are many other unknowns to you that i didnt mention and dont have to mention... and to clarify.. our maid is never confined at home.. we/i bring them out with us too.. you make it sound like they are at home 24x7 and that's just not a fair comment either...

my opinion in this regard is still the same... leave it to employer-maid to decide what works for them... no need to put a policy on others where it creates unnecessary issues/stress for any party..

Then the policy shall act as a force for change in our society, where employees will demand not to have to work 7 days a week, business travel will not start on a weekend, and greater childcare is made available. It cannot be helped anymore in that situation when it is legislated, employers cannot say \"Why don't you hire a maid, don't I pay you enough?\"

Its all positive, and will wean us from our dependence and addiction to maids. But we can't wait until everyone is ready, because we will never get there, and the greater need and societal rightness needs to be addressed rapidly.

I just wanted to repeat my point that people in service industry will never have a right to say to their employers that they dont want to work on wkends. This is the nature of their jobs. Can the hotels shut on wkends? Can banquets NOT BE allowed to be held on wkends so that people like hotel managers/banquet managers can have a day off to jaga their family and kids?? Can showflats be closed on wkends? So, people who wanna view showflats got to take leave on wkdays? Can restaurants/food courts close on wkends so that their staff or Chefs can stay home and let their maids rest on wkends? Let's not talk abt numbers/percentage... but these are people who are locals and have maids and genuinely cannot get off work on wkends.

Good on you that your wife can manage on those occassions that you are away... BUT try being a lone parent for every weekend... 52 wkends in a year... with maybe just a few wkends where your other half manages to take leave or what not... plus coupled with work and biz travel.. and many other unknowns... its a totally different situation

I know what you described is a PERFECT world, and what I've been trying to say is that we live in a less than perfect world. There are thousands of others working in such jobs and hundreds who have maids. Do you then ignore their needs?

I really dread the usual PAP mandate of pushing out a policy based on a perfect world, and then let's talk abt exceptions later. If MOM rejects a valid exception case, what's gonna happen? Can the maid employer go tell their employers that they can't get help on wkends and thus cannot go to work?? Let's just be realistic here... it will inconvenience many where they have an actual need.

Again, we are not saying that we confine the maids or don't approve of off days. If they are responsible for what have been laid out as a contractual agreement for them to come to work, then stick to it. If the employer do not need them on wkends and can afford off days, then give it to the maids. The preferred solution for us is to leave it to employer and maid to decide. Not a blanket rule that will create issues for some of us who really need that extra help...

[SMH FOREST]

1amber:

The point of discuss in this thread is that quite a handful of us have no problem giving off days/time off to our maids but disagree with a blanket law mandating one day a week. We feel it should be left for mutual agreement between employer and maid.


But along this line, someone felt that it should be written down as policy to protect maids from abusive employers. But the point that many forum writers have pointed out here is that maids today aren't that blur and naive. They quote the opposite fact that maids are more conniving. Many of these employers recounted actual bad experiences. They have first hand experiences of being a lone parent having to juggle home, homework and work. If one has never been in their shoes (occasional doesn't count), how can one ever understand? Different families have different needs and stress points.

Quite a few in this thread are just calling for an updated view of today's maid/employer situation by giving actual accounts.

Let's not provoke by saying standards of employers have deteriorated, why can't they just give some time off, and other derogatory remarks. Doesn't mean that if you can handle something, then someone who cannot is a bad employer.

:goodpost:
Thanks for the perfect summary of what some of us are trying to highlight here!! :hi5: