Domestic workers, who have become crucial to the smooth functioning of many city households, are no longer only from ‘lower’ castes; they are drawn from dominant castes as well. Though a majority of them belong to the Scheduled Castes, caste stigma is no longer attached to the occupation, a study has revealed. The study also pointed to a preference for workers belonging to the same religion as the employers’.
The ‘Sample survey on domestic workers in Bengaluru’ also highlights the “unregulated, undefined and highly subjective” employer-worker relationship.
The study points to labour disputes arising out of inadequate or delayed wages and denial of paid leave. With a majority of domestic help working in more than two households, work pressure is experienced during festivals, birthdays and other social gatherings, the study says. Though they are exposed to health-risks such as cold, cough, respiratory disorders, skin ailments and back pain, employers are generally reluctant to share medical expenses. However, a few do come forward with assistance in securing school admissions, finding jobs for their adult children or by giving small loans. The study also found that employers here are “wary” of third-party intervention due to which agency culture is yet to catch up in the city.
Survey
Conducted by Y. Narayana Chetty, director of the Sri Alampalli Venkataram Chair on Labour Research, Bangalore University, the study was released by Governor Vajubhai R. Vala here on Friday.
