Priscillia Lefebvre, CUPE 4600:
We visited two unforgettable places today signifying two distinct yet complimentary issues facing the Filipino labour force. The first was the trip to the Salam Mosque Compound, a Muslim community which serves as a temporary hold for females, as young as 14 years of age, who are preparing themselves to be sent overseas as domestic helpers. These workers are sent overseas to the Middle East alone, to places they have never been, to live with people they do not know, and who speak in languages they cannot speak. They are provided no recourse, no protection, and are in some cases not permitted to leave the home of their employer. They are effectively imprisoned and made to work for a meager wage.