Despite an intense heatwave, many domestic workers – often called “helpers” – in Hong Kong are routinely banned from switching on air conditioning when working at home alone, union leaders have said, urging employers to allow them to use it in very hot weather.
The issue surfaced last week after an employer drew widespread online criticism for scolding her domestic helper for switching an air conditioner on an hour earlier than household rules allowed, even as high temperatures and humidity gripped the city.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the heat would persist throughout the week, warning of “extremely hot” conditions on Friday, with temperatures reaching up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in urban areas.
The forecaster issued its third “very hot weather” warning signal this week on Tuesday morning and reminded residents to stay hydrated, even indoors.
“If there is no air conditioning, windows should be kept open and fans used as far as possible to maintain adequate indoor ventilation,” it said.
The forecaster recently recorded six consecutive “hot nights” – when the minimum temperature remains above 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) – marking the longest such streak for May, a record. Temperatures soared to as high as 36.7 degrees in the New Territories on Friday.
Rowena Borja, secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions, said on Sunday that while helpers were generally allowed to switch on air conditioning when their employers were at home, usually without time limits, it was common for them to be denied access to it when left alone.
About 80 per cent of union members faced such a restriction, Borja said.
“I think it is not reasonable because domestic workers are also human beings. We also feel hot, especially when we are working inside the house,” Borja said. “Even if you are only standing, with nothing to do inside the house, you are still sweating.”
Some workers had no air conditioning in their rooms, making sleep nearly impossible on hot nights, she added.
Borja said she had also faced such restrictions on scorching hot days. When she asked for permission to switch on an air conditioner during an extreme heatwave, she was refused. To cope with the heat, Borja wore light clothing, bathed twice a day, drank water constantly and cooled off with an electric fan.
While acknowledging that employers imposed such rules to save on their electricity bills, she urged them to understand the difficulties faced by domestic workers.
Hongkongers are facing rising electricity bills under persistently high global fuel prices. CLP Power, which serves more than 80 per cent of the population, raised its fuel surcharge by 5.4 per cent from May, its third consecutive monthly rise. HK Electric, the city’s other utility firm, increased its June fuel surcharge by 20 per cent.
“It is not every day that we [are asking if we] can turn on the air conditioner, just these few days that are really very hot,” Borja said. “There is a limitation to turn on the air conditioner – [only] if the weather is too hot and unbearable.”
She also reminded employers they could be held accountable if workers suffered heatstroke.
Federation chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said she believed the incident discussed online was an isolated case, noting that conflicts over the use of air conditioning remained rare.
But Gasing added that some workers who served the elderly were often denied use of air conditioning as their employers were frugal and typically sensitive to the cold.
She said most elderly employers eventually relented once workers explained their discomfort.
“I hope employers can be more understanding,” Gasing said. “We work extremely hard, and we simply hope to have a comfortable place to sleep, so that we can be well-rested and have the energy to serve the employers.”
According to an International Labour Organization recommendation, domestic workers’ accommodation should have adequate lighting, heating and air conditioning, in keeping with prevailing household conditions and taking into account local laws and standards.
Thomas Chan Tung-fung, chairman of the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies, said some employers might assume domestic workers had a better tolerance for heat and could handle hot weather with fans because they came from tropical climates.
“Employers might also feel that domestic workers are not frugal with electricity, water and gas, as they are not the ones paying utility bills,” he said. “Some employers might observe their electricity bills doubling when they hire a new domestic worker.”
He said some employers preferred domestic workers not to turn on air conditioners when they were alone at home, as they might get “too comfortable.”
But he called on employers to communicate house rules clearly and find an agreeable middle ground with their employees.
Mike Cheung Chung-wai, president of the Overseas Employment Centre, agreed that both domestic workers and employers should discuss the most suitable arrangement, and that employers should respect workers’ need for air conditioning.
“If the home gets too hot, it does not make sense to prevent domestic workers from switching on the air conditioning. It is to safeguard their basic workplace security and health,” he said.
