Hong Kong: Women orgainze on homebased work

Off Our Backs, Jan 1999

HONG KONG--The Committee for Asian Women is conducting a campaign to press governments to sign the International Labor Organization's conventions on homework and part-time work, which were drafted in 1996 and 1994, respectively.

The conventions would ensure that these workers have the same rights as other workers to organize, to be protected against discrimination, to have occupational safety and health protections, to have equivalent remuration, social security protection, access to training, and have minimum working age and maternity protection.

Most homebased workers are women, and most earn less than the minimum wage in their countries. For example, a study in South Africa found that 65 percent of the women doing homebased work earned less than the minimum wage. In Australia, a study found that "outworkers" earn about a third of the standard wage for textile workers.

For more information or to help, contact: Committee for Asian Women, Unit E, 4/F, Skyline Tower, 18 Tong Mi Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

--info from Asian Women Workers Newsletter, July 1998