Transcript ILO
Decent Work
For Domestic Workers:
Towards International
Labour Standards on
the Subject
1
Why an ILS on this subject now?
Old ILO concern
work-family tensions with demand for paid care
work
serious decent work deficits
Most important occupation for millions of women
2
What is Domestic Work?
Work like any other, work like no other
not perceived as “real” work
in the employer’s household
does not generate profits for employer
workplace and home often overlap
De jure and de facto excluded from labour law
protection
regulated by strong non-state norms
3
Working conditions: Remuneration
undervalued work
high proportion of in-kind payment
often no minimum wage coverage
underpayment or late payment of wages
salary deductions
households’ earnings determine earnings of DW
4
Working conditions: working time
About 50% of countries do not impose mandatory limit
on normal hours of work
50% of countries permit longer hours than other workers
58 % of countries provide 1 to 2 days of rest per week;
40% do not specify rest time period
83% countries do not impose limit on night work
Only a few countries regulate working time and provide
for overtime compensation
5
Vulnerability and abuses: the special case of
migrant domestic workers (MDWers)
Inequality of treatment with nationals
especially social protection
no automatic coverage under national healthcare schemes
Vulnerability to abuse:
unaccredited employment agencies
dependency on one employer; the loss of employment entails
loss of work permit
requirement in some countries to live-in
with-holding of passport by employer
pregnancy or HIV status often result in worker’s dismissal
6
Possible draft International
Labour Standards on DW
ILC 2010
number and type of draft instrument (s)
Possible scenarios:
a Convention, or
a Recommendation, or
a Convention and a Recommendation, or
a Convention with binding and non-binding parts
7
Goals of possible new instrument(s)
Cover as many DWers as possible
Clear and simple
Ratifiable
Provide sufficient guidance and incentives to
enable their meaningful implementation
8
Steps towards the preparation and adoption of ILO draft
international labour instrument(s) on domestic workers
March 2009: The Office sends a law and practice report along with a questionnaire to ILO
Member States. Governments are requested to consult with the most representative
workers’ organizations and employers' associations
August 2009: Deadline for submission of replies to the Office.
February 2010: The Office sends to ILO Member States a second report examining the
replies received to the questionnaire in 2009
June 2010: First discussion at the International Labour Conference (ILC) of the ILO. A
decision is taken on the form of the draft ILO instrument(s)- whether a Convention or a
Recommendation or both or a Convention with binding and non-binding parts.
August 2010: The Office sends a third report containing (a) draft instrument(s) to
Member States
End November 2010: Deadline for submission to the Office of comments on the third
report by Member States
March 2011: The Office sends two reports to member States: one examining the replies
received on the third report, and the other containing the text of the draft instrument(s)
revised in the light of comments received
June 2011: Second discussion at the ILC. A Convention or any other agreed instrument
will be discussed and adopted or rejected by the ILC
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