Rant about Foreign Domestic Workers (aka Maids) in Singapore

O.k. Up front I’m going to admit that:

1) I’m from the USA (Land of Freedom and Equality –at least in principle)
2) I usually vote Republican (the “less govt.”, and ‘do it yourself’ philosophy- at least it used to be…)
3) I homeschool (If you want a job done right do it yourself.)
4) My Mommy motto is “train ‘em not to need you”.


So keep all that in mind as you read my rant. It’s VERY biased!

Today’s topic is Maids (aka Foreign Domestic Workers) in Singapore.

Basic facts:
There are more than 200,000 FDW in Singapore.

There is no minimum wage in Singapore.

The average monthly salary for a FDW is less than $300 (US).


Recently the Singapore government voted that it be mandatory that FDW in Singapore have one day off per week. Think about that. Let it sink in reeeeaal good. The GOVERNMENT had to step in to MANDATE that maids get a day off once a week. – You know, because it isn’t happening. Last time I checked this was 2012. Singapore is not some backwoods country. It’s a very modern place!

See in my country a 150 years ago, if you didn’t get a day off you were called “a slave”. (But didn’t a lot of them get Sunday off?) Also, I don’t know what $300 was in 1850’s money, but I bet their living conditions were as different from their “owners” as today’s FDW workers’ are from their bosses.

In my own house, there is an area designated as “the maid’s area”. The ‘bedroom’ is smaller than the average jail cell, with a tiny toilet room across the hall past the trash chute. There is no air conditioning there (Remember, this is tropical Singapore.). The toilet has a miniature sink with no hot water. There is a spigot with a hand held shower nozzle attached. The washer and dryer are out there, as well as the dishwasher. Not to mention that the main area where the maid would work – the kitchen (you know, where the stove and oven are), is also not air -conditioned.
I’ve been told that our maid’s area is much nicer than a friend’s because ours has a window. This from a friend that actually does have a maid! I’ve just got to tell you that I could not in all consciousness make another human being (made in the image of God) live out there. When I mentioned this to someone she said, “That’s because you haven’t seen where they live in the Philippines (or Indonesia, or Malaysia, etc.). Perhaps this is how people soothe their own conscience, but mine’s not buying it. If I’m living in an apartment with hot water and a.c., but my maid is living 10 feet away in another world – how is that o.k.? How is that different from “the big house” vs. the slave cabin - out of sight/out of mind??

Next point:
Why do you need a maid? O.K. I understand that many Singaporean women have to work. Most of them work very long hours. – Much longer than the average in the US. They get home late. They just don’t have much time at all to cook, do laundry, etc. before collapsing exhausted into bed and starting all over. Other people hire maids to care for their elderly parents. I’m not talking about these people at the moment.
The people I can’t figure out are the expats. Very few expat women work here. Most are ‘the trailing spouse’. Apparently many women have trouble fitting into this role. Maybe they had full time jobs back home. But now, here they are far far away from home and their kids are in school 40 hours a week and they have nothing to do. So they hire a maid. What?!? Now, don’t get me wrong. I think it would be lovely to have someone cleaning up after me and cooking for me. But then, what would I do?!?
Once, on the airplane I watched a movie called, “The Nanny Diaries”. I thought it was satire. It was not. I cannot even tell you how many times I’ve seen the “helper” out with the kids alone. The helper is there filming little Johnny playing soccer. The helper is taking little Mary to ballet class. The helper takes Billy to his cub scout graduation etc. etc. Do you think the parents will ever realize that they missed little Johnny’s childhood?!? Is it a sign that Johnny loves the helper more than Mommy? Where’s the Mom?!?!!!!! Taking parenting classes? You wish. She’s probably at “the club” (there are lots and lots and lots of country-style clubs), or with the Singaporean _______(fill in the blank) Women’s Club. They play mahjong and have charity parties and club-hopping parties. You know, while the baby is with the helper. -That same helper who works 365 days a year for $300 a month. That’s probably your kid I saw the other day strapped in the stroller while the maid sits on the bench talking on the cell phone ignoring him.

And by the way, your helper is ruining your kids. I can tell you this for a fact. I’ve met your kids. Your helper is probably very nice. In fact, I know she is. She always picks up little Billy’s things. She makes sure little Suzy has everything she needs for school. She does everything for little Johnny. I know because little Johnny comes on a Boy Scout camp out and has no earthly idea how to wash his plate when he is standing in front of a bin of soapy water. (“We have a maid for that!” says little Johnny.) I know because little Suzy comes to Girl Scout camp and asks me to hold her things while she takes a shower. (huh? – girl, there’s a bench right there!) I know because little Mary wants to wait ‘till her helper comes and packs up her things for her at camp. I know because I’ve seen grown men and women who cannot boil water.

There has been a huge outcry against the new one-day-off-per-week policy. Many questions were raised: “What about me? I need a day off too!” “Who will take care of my children on Sunday?” “What about when the maid runs off and gets pregnant on her day off?” (exactly 22 of the 200,0000 did that last year – so it could happen!) [I kid you not, these are actual questions from letters to the editor.]

I have some questions: “If you wanted a day off - why did you have kids?” “If you can’t change diapers one day a week – why did you have kids?” “If your maid runs off and gets pregnant could it be that she found someone who treated her as more than a robot?” “Could it be that getting deported is better than working for someone who won’t give her one day off?”

By the way, it came up in the editorials of the paper that FDW also cannot change jobs. If they quit, even if they have another job lined up and already have govt. approval to stay in Singapore, their (former) boss can have them deported. Just plain spite. There have been cases where maids killed oppressive bosses. That’s certainly not the right thing to do, but can you not see where the frustration comes from?

Even with the new government policy, owners, uh, I mean, bosses can opt to give the FDW additional compensation instead of a day off. “So, here’s $5. Now stop whining about a day off and go fix me a sandwich.” Sigh. Are we really making progress here?

O.k. in summary, people of Singapore listen up:

Treat people with dignity. ALL People! Let the maid sleep in the spare room where there’s hot water and a.c. Give her a day off. Every week. Treat her like Alice on the Brady Bunch (maybe a nicer uniform), not like a slave, or perhaps worse – your child’s mother.


Expats! – You. Do. Not. Need. A. Maid! Just because you can afford something does not mean it’s good for you. Your children are spoiled and you are missing some of the most fun years you could be spending with them. Teach them to be self-reliant. They’ll be much more proud of themselves. Other people will enjoy being around them more. For that matter, you also need to learn to be self-sufficient. Buy your own stinking groceries. Cook supper yourself. Clean up after your own self. Wash your own clothes! Be a grown up!! Your behavior is Un-American.