Comments on: We’d trade in slaves if we could

By: mrbrown: L'infantile terrible of Singapore

mrbrown: L'infantile terrible of Singapore — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:19:31 +0000

Tired of having maids that need rest?…

Tired of having maids that need rest?…

By: lunatic fringe

lunatic fringe — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 09:22:44 +0000

Typical of Singapore Inc. while we ourselves look for work-life balance, it only applies to us and not to people who work for us. Or perhaps it’s precisely we do not get work-life balance in our own lives so we dish it out to the domestic help. Truly reflective of the crass capitalism that drives us, exploit the factors of production for maximum benefit to the “owner/employer”.

By: lunatic fringe

lunatic fringe — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 09:22:00 +0000

By: Linda Chia

Linda Chia — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:31:40 +0000

Cindy,

I too, had thought that it was definitely inhumane, and Singapore couldn’t possible allow it right?

Then I heard something on tv sometime back that went along the lines of maids signing on the contracts that bound themselves to no off days, and some lame ass commentary on tv made by some lame ass I donno who (I hope it’s not one of our ministers!) about how a mandatory day off would inconvenience the employers.

Fucking insane.

It’s a wild guess but I’m pretty sure there are maids who either had no choice (sign the agreement or have no work) or who don’t know what they are signing themselves into.

At times like these, maids — our domestic helpers that made life easier for us (who happened to be luckier and born at the “right” place at the “right” time), should be protected.

If the tables were turned, I’m not sure how many of us would gladly send our wife//girlfriend/sister to a different country with such employment terms.

By: Linda Chia

Linda Chia — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:31:00 +0000

Cindy,

I too, had thought that it was definitely inhumane, and Singapore couldn’t possible allow it right?

Fucking insane.

It’s a wild guess but I’m pretty sure there are maids who either had no choice (sign the agreement or have no work) or who don’t know what they are signing themselves into.

At times like these, maids — our domestic helpers that made life easier for us (who happened to be luckier and born at the “right” place at the “right” time), should be protected.

If the tables were turned, I’m not sure how many of us would gladly send our wife//girlfriend/sister to a different country with such employment terms.

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 23:01:13 +0000

Oh and i don’t have maids. And never grew up with one. And I get sad when I see the way some kids treat their maids (I’m talking 6-year-olds here), they shout at them and throw tantrums and order them around because they know that the maids can’t scold them like their parents can.

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 23:01:00 +0000

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 22:54:12 +0000

No off day = illegal. I’m sure there has to be some employment law statute that governs this!

Right?

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 22:54:00 +0000

No off day = illegal. I’m sure there has to be some employment law statute that governs this!

Right?

By: steven

steven — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 13:34:24 +0000

Sad thing is “WE DO TRADE SLAVES”, in Europe and in Singapore. The sex slavery trade is huge, in Britain they trade East Europeans in Sg its Vietnamese, Thai etc…