Helpers' Employers Association?

In the debate about permanent residency for domestic helpers I've seen Joseph Law of the Hong Kong Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association widely quoted. I was wondering what is this association and who are its members? I've employed helpers in Hong Kong for almost ten years and was unaware of the association's existence. I am interested to find out what are the association's activities and how do you join? I didn't have much luck finding it on the internet.

http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr02-03/english/panels/mp/papers/mp0312-1492-1e-scan.pdf


I found this from 2003. Not terribly useful, but it does have an address and some contact numbers.

I have only "accidentally" heard of it, when it was mentioned on TV and Mr. Law was interviewed. The association certainly does not have a high profile. Mr. Law seemed like a good enough guy during his interview though.

The Association of Joseph Law has been in existence for a long time. Basically they come out on interviews at moments of social debate regarding the wages or working conditions of the foreign domestic workers. The Association tends to make light of the common abuses of domestic workers; lobby for lowering or freeze of wages when the domestic workers seek increases; and generally try to maintain the near-slave status of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong (keep wages low; keep unlimited working hours; prevent them from gaining voting rights via right of abode). He seems like a kind enough employer to his own domestic worker, which is great; but the Association itself has the aim of holding on to employers' benefits at the expense of the workers.


Depending on the motive behind your wish to join an employers association, you may consider to join Open Door (www.opendoor.hk). It is very small, being a group of HK citizens willing to support the rights of domestic workers - with employers being the core and with the interests of employers also being a key concern. Because in fact, the current system makes employers also vulnerable, in a myriad of ways. This is the story of what happened to one employer because of a recruitment agency: http://www.opendoor.hk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:employers-nightmare-experience-with-recruitment-agency-and-the-indonesian-worker-from-there&catid=40:employers-stories&Itemid=55


A letter of Open Door was in yesterday's SCMP Letters to the Editor.