The National Domestic Worker Alliance demands a Decent Work for Domestic Workers ILO Convention  

The ILO is the organization that sets standards on international labor rights, and monitors how they are implemented. In June 2010 and 2011, the ILO will debate and adopt an international standard setting out the rights of domestic workers. The National Domestic Worker Alliance is organizing with domestic workers around the world (link to http://www.domesticworkerrights.org/) to win a strong ILO Convention with the standards and protections this workforce so desperately needs. We demand the following labor standards for domestic workers:

Fundamental principles and rights of the ILO that need to be applied to domestic work

• Right to organize and collectively bargain and highlight related best practices and examples, including acknowledgement of special challenges to collective bargaining for domestic workers
• Elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor;
• Effective abolition of child labor; and
• Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and immigrant/migrant status

Working and living conditions and social security

• Fair terms of employment as well as decent working conditions and, where applicable, living conditions;
• Safe and secure workplace; and
• Social security, including maternity protection, for both full-time and part-time workers with multiple employers
• Equality with other workers in minimum labor standards and in some instances, establish a higher standard to account for the special conditions facing domestic workers and the inability for domestic workers to collectively bargain under most national labor relations laws.
• Access to information about rights and organizations that can provide information and support for them as migrants (consulates) and workers (worker rights organizations)
• Employers should inform domestic/household workers of their terms and conditions of employment, such as the type of work to be performed, including tasks not to be performed; the normal hours of work, etc.
• Protection against all forms of abuse and harassment, including physical, verbal, sexual and mental abuse and harassment
• Workers are not bound to remain in the household during the period of daily or weekly rest
• Periods of standby should be regarded as hours of work to the extent determined by national laws and regulations, collective agreements or any other means consistent with national practice
• Worker should be in possession of own documents

Employment agencies

• Workers recruited or placed by employment agencies, particularly migrant domestic/household workers, are effectively protected against abusive practices
• Make information available to workers about their rights, complaint procedures, and contact information for workers rights groups

Migrant domestic/household workers

• National laws and regulations should require that migrant domestic/household workers receive a written contract containing minimum terms and conditions of employment that must be agreed upon prior to crossing national borders
• Migrant domestic/household workers should be entitled to repatriation at no cost on expiry or termination of the employment contract
• Employers should be prohibited from keeping in their possession domestic workers’ travel and identity documents
• Countries should cooperate with each other to ensure that migrant domestic/household workers enjoy benefits comparable with those of nationals
• Workers with cases of abuse or mistreatment should be offered protective immigration status

Implementation and enforcement measures

• Easy access to fair and effective dispute settlement procedures
• Easy access to effective government agencies that enforce their rights
• Resources and capacity for enforcement of existing laws

Implementation and enforcement should be done in partnership with domestic

Click here to see the National Domestic Worker Alliance’s recommended responses to the ILO Questionnaire to develop the draft Convention (link to attached PDF)