Cat and Mouse Court Games

There simply wasn't enough food for all the mouths in Watu's family. Life as a subsistence farmer in a rural Indonesian village was getting too hard. Working long hours in her old age would be impossible, so Watu reluctantly became a migrant worker.

Despite being one of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, she had high hopes of finding an employer in Hong Kong who would treat her better than she had been treated in her own country.

Her first employer treated her well, and for two years Watu was able to send money home to support her family.  Life as a domestic worker was easier than farming!

When her employer no longer needed her, Watu signed another contract.  But 18 months later, her employer paid her late, pleading financial problems.  Despite little change to the lifestyle and spending of the family, she was paid late for a whole year.  Then her payments stopped.

After two months with no salary, Watu came to Christian Action. We advised her of her legal rights, and helped her lodge a claim at the Labour Department.

During the next five months, her employer played cat and mouse games, defying the orders of the courts.  After two Labour Tribunal hearings Watu received the money she was owed.  During that period, she wasn’t allowed to sign another contract and therefore couldn’t send money to her family.  She lived in our women’s shelter.

The sad news is that this happens to almost every domestic helper who approaches us for assistance. Change is badly needed to stop this unjust practice.

'What does God require of you oh man? To seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.'  (Micah 6:8)