Hundreds of migrant workers participated in an International Labour Day demonstration on Sunday, calling for the better protection of labour rights.
The demonstration was organised by the Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU), and was also attended by labour unions and pan-democratic political parties in Hong Kong.
The various groups marched from Victoria Park to the Central Government Offices in the afternoon.
The Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) demanded an increase of the minimum wage for foreign domestic workers to HK$5,000, in order to sustain living costs in light of inflation. The current minimum wage is set at HK$4,210.
The AMCB also demanded that the government take steps to regulate the working hours of foreign domestic workers.
It said that many face long working hours because they live with their employers.
The Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions called for an end to illegal fees that agencies charge to foreign domestic workers, in the process of finding them an employer.
It said that these service fees were sometimes as high as seven months’ wages.
According to the CTU, 2,500 people took part in the rally, a slight decrease from an estimated 3,400 in the previous year.
Reporting by Elson Tong. Photography by Lory Jean T. Yungco and Adrian Lo.
