Gratiane de Moustier: Hong Kong’s Indonesian Indentured Servants

“A recruiter in Madium, Indonesia, checking a candidate’s fingers for cleanliness.” (Gratiane de Moustier/NYTimes)

“By creating conditions that keep Indonesian women tied to their debts, while limiting their movements and underpaying them, the Indonesian and Hong Kong governments and the recruiters force maids into a form of indentured servitude. The people of Hong Kong should demand that their government rectify the legal discrimination and provide more protections for their domestic workers. And Indonesians should do their part to reshape the recruitment system so foreign worker safety and dignity come before profits.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/hong-kongs-indentured-servants.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0)

Prabowo At FSPI National Meeting

Prabowo Subianto at KSPI Meeting (credit: Prabowo Subianto Facebook feed)

Perspective presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto spoke at the national meeting of Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia (KSPI). Okezone has a slideshow from the event.

Have you seen other reports of meetings between 2014 candidates and labor unions? Or opinion pieces on the labor movement and this year’s election? Please send them along and I will post them.