ILO Convention C 189 A good start for protection of domestic workers Critical Labour Studies The struggle for domestic workers rights Macnhester, 19 Febr Karin Pape

UN Assembly Hall – 16 June 2011

Looking back International Conference of domestic workers and support organization – November 2006 Amsterdam Decision of ILO (March 2008) to place standard setting process on the agenda for ILC 2010 and 2011 for domestic workers Meeting in Geneva September 2008 Meeting in Geneva June 2009 – (Provisional) Founding IDWN; ILO process as an organizing tool; International Labour Conference (ILC) 2010, Geneva: First reading of an international instrument to protect domestic workers – committee decision in favour of a Convention! June 2011 – ILC 2011: Second reading – Voting in the Plenary on the Instrument on 16 June 2011

Voting Result Government against: Zwaziland Governments abstentions: El Salvador, Malysia, Panama, UK, Singapour, Sudan, Czech Republique, Thailand In Favour: 396 Against: 16 Abstentions: 63

Main important outcome C 189 stipulates that all domestic workers (in an employment relationship and if carried out as a means of a living) are WORKERS Inclusion in national labour and related laws (i.e. Access to existing social protection schemes)

Content of the Convention Definitions and scope Freedom of association and collective bargaining, Child labour Protection against abuse, harassment and violence Information on terms and conditions, written contracts Working time and Remuneration Occupational safety and health Social security Protection for particular groups Private employment agencies Access to court, compliance and enforcement

Why a successful outcome (1) Domestic Workers Organizations aimed to influence the process at every stage – for example: -influencing the questions of the ILO questionnaire of the law and practice report -Influencing the recommended answers by ITUC -Influencing the answers by national trade union centres, governments and where possible employers assocications -Lobbying the trade union centres to be included into the national delegations to the ILCs in 2010 and 2011

Why a successful outcome (2) The organized domestic workers had a vehicle, the IDWN IUF gave IDWN an organizational base and therefore enabled access to the internatonal trade union movement (ITUC) WIEGO supported IUF (IDWN) by seconding a person who was nominated as the internatonal coordinator and by raising funds and providing expertise. WIEGO is part of the technical support team. GLI Geneva supported by an advisory function in various ways, for example work on the web-site, drafting rules etc. IUF/IDWN worked in a collaborative way with the relevant official trade union structures (i.e. Trade union centres, ITUC, ILO ACTRAV) as well as with official ILO structures, governments representatives, support NGOs (Human Rights Watch, Anti Slavery International, MFA, church organizations, womens groups etc. The Steering Committee of IDWN decided

Why a successful outcome (3) Domestic Workers delegates at ILC 2010: 11 Domestic Workers delegates at ILC 2011: 35 * Plus each year: inclusion of additional dw reps into the IUF and ITUC delegation = full members of the workers group of the Committee * 4 dw reps spoke on behalf of their national trade union centre in the Plenary session of ILC + Asian regional coordinator spoke on behalf of IUF in the Plenary. In the committee a US dw spoke on behalf of IUF

Way ahead (1) IDWN will use C 189 as a means to improve working and living conditions of domestic workers – by: Identifying target countries for ratification and continue the lobby process from before June 2011 Take provsions of C 189 and R 201 to take up specific lobby issues

Way ahead (2) IDWN will strengthen its structures by moving towards a Federation of Domestic Workers Organizations, with a planned Founding Congress in 2013