Pushpa Venkatesh, a single mother with three children, sometimes wishes she was with her children on special occasions like their birthdays or festivals. But, the 34-year-old domestic help says her employers rarely allow her to take leave. Besides, the earnings from the four houses where she works are barely enough to make ends meet. She is paid about Rs. 1,000 a month in each household.
On International Domestic Workers Day on Saturday, the members of the Domestic Workers’ Rights Union highlighted the problems faced by domestic workers.
Geetha Menon, secretary, Stree Jagruti Samiti, speaking to mediapersons, emphasised the need to bring in regulations that ensure safety and rights of domestic help. The most vulnerable are migrant workers and those landing jobs through placement agencies.
Squeeze of agencies
The agencies extract a huge sum from the workers in the form of commission.
“Several domestic workers are also abused by their employers,” Ms. Menon added.
ILO convention
She spoke on about the need to ratify the Convention (C 189) adopted by the International Labour Organisation, which was passed on June 16, 2011. This, she said, will provide legal protection for domestic workers and entitle them to their weekly off, stipulate limits to work hours, guarantee minimum wages and provide overtime compensation.
Ms. Menon said the samiti would submit a letter to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj and the Labour Department seeking their support, but pointed out that the Central government should be proactive in this regard. “Union Minister for Labour and Employment M. Mallikarjun Kharge can take a bolder step,” she said.
Touch of sensitivity
Lalitha, an employer, said: “Laws are not the solution to everything. [They should be accompanied by] humaneness. We need to look at their lives a little more sensitively.”
