An Ecuadorean domestic worker was given just $50 a week by her employer — the equivalent of less than $1 an hour — according to Bermuda human rights campaigner Lucy Attride-Stirling.

The woman was contracted to receive $400 a week, but was paid just $150 a week — and of that $100 went into her employer's bank account, leaving $50 for herself.

The employer was eventually ordered to pay her $10,000 following an arbitration hearing early last year, Mrs Attride-Stirling told The Royal Gazette.

Mrs Attride-Stirling revealed the case to highlight the plight of migrant domestic workers in Bermuda.

Mrs Attride-Stirling said the woman, in her late 20s, was hired from Ecuador by a Latin American accountant and his Italian wife around two years ago.

She signed a contract saying she would be paid $400 a week and, before coming to the Island, was told she would have her own apartment at the couple's home.

However, she ended up being paid much less, working ten or 11 hours six days a week, and had to sleep on the sofa, meaning she had to wait until the couple had stopped watching television before she could rest.

She did not realise she was entitled to more money because she didn't speak English and couldn't read the terms of her contract.

The woman returned to Ecuador after she was kicked off the Island when the employer told Immigration she had provided false information on documents on arrival.

But her brother has since arrived in Bermuda having been impressed with the amount of money the woman took home. The couple who employed her now live in Canada.

Mrs Attride-Stirling would not name any of the parties involved without permission from the Ecuadorean.

"The whole thing was preposterous," Mrs Attride-Stirling told this newspaper.

She said the woman did not complain herself, but she encouraged her to get in touch with the authorities after hearing about her situation.

"They owed her a serious amount of money," she said. "He wasn't prepared to fork out but the mediator told him he had to or we would take him to court.

"This is an extreme example, but there are hundreds of domestic workers from other countries who are being underpaid and living in difficult conditions."

A new Building Workers International group is to ask Government to consider legislation to protect all workers in the light of examples such as the Ecuadorean woman.

They want employers to be obliged to ensure staff understand their rights, through the use of an interpreter if necessary.

Union officials say domestic workers from Latin American and Asian countries are prepared to work for very low wages because it's worth much more in their homeland.

Bermuda Industrial Union is promoting migrant workers' rights in a campaign to run over the next few weeks.

Yesterday, Bermuda Democratic Alliance member Alex DeCouto, of the Construction Association of Bermuda, said he didn't believe new legislation would be the answer.

Mr DeCouto said laws already require employers to take care of their staff — but the problem is enforcement. He suggested site visits and interviews with employees and employers could help ensure rules are being obeyed.