Coincidentally, I’m plugging this in right next to Fred’s “Middle Eastern women” post…
I’m renting a room in a Taiwanese family’s flat. My landlady (the mom) has two filipina maids employed to do pretty much everything in this joint, even “being Mom”.
I’ve talked with these two maids about their lives here (in this flat), and I feel sorry for them. Obviously, there is a spectrum of treatment towards maids; some bosses are ruthless slave drivers and some treat the maids as family.
From what I gather, my landlady is more towards the stingy, mean side of the spectrum; and I don’t doubt that since I have to deal with her sometimes myself (although since I am paying rent, I get treated pretty well).
Anyway, besides taking the three xiaogui’s (little devils, a.k.a. children) out for strolls around the 'hood, these maids stay inside this prison all day, every day. They have no freedom - no opportunity to pursue love, hobbies, relaxation.
Aren’t there some laws which stipulate some free time for these foreign workers? People with beating hearts (unlike my landlady) would realize that even their employees are human and deserve basic freedoms. The maids aren’t even paid that well. They do get free room and board (which they have prepared themselves), but c’mon, they are on-call all day.
If anyone knows of some labor laws or of any other way I could help these ladies (in addition to me talking to my landlady), please let me know.
Thanks!
PS: I, like Fred (apparently), am not a “Lefty”. I generally side with conservatives; and contrary to popular media belief, this alone does not make one a money-grubbing pig who always pursues causes for self-promotion.