Migrant Domestic Workers and Trade Union Action

1
Migrant Domestic Workers and Trade Union Action

• TUC
• Britain Ireland UK
• Diana Holland, National Organiser for Women, Race
  Equalities
• Transport General Workers Union

2
Migrant Domestic Workers were already organised
in the UK

• Organisation of migrant domestic workers
  Kalayaan
• Organisation of undocumented workers
  Waling-Waling
• Links with Church
• MAJOR EVENT ORGANISED 1990
• TG invited to Sunday afternoon social event
  plays, food, music

3
Kalayaans 1,000 workers stories

• Psychological abuse 87.5
• No regular food 38.4
• Not having a bed 56.6
• Physical abuse 39.5
• Passport confiscated
• by employer 62.8
• Paid less than agreed 58.3
• Average hours a day 17 hours
• Average pay a month 150 Euros

4
Migrant Domestic Workers linking up with the union

• What could we offer?
• Many had left abusive employers and become
  undocumented
• Individual employer, no negotiations
• Domestic workers not covered by employment laws

5
Migrant Domestic Workers linking up with the union

• What did they want from the union?
• A UNION CARD AN IDENTITY STATUS
• OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEIR STORY TO MORE PEOPLE
• WITH A LOUDER VOICE THE VOICE OF A LARGE TRADE
  UNION
• LINKING UP WITH THE WHOLE LABOUR MOVEMENT

6
Migrant Domestic Workers linking up with the union

• What happened?
• We worked with Kalayaan and Waling-Waling
• We organised 600 migrant domestic workers into
  the TG
• We campaigned with Labour in opposition
  conference fringe meetings
• When Labour got elected, we reminded them of
  their commitments

7
Campaign to change the Law

• CONSERVATIVES
• Up to 1979, UK work permits granted directly to
  migrant domestic workers
• 1980 Concession introduced outside Immigration
  Rules - can work but no status as a worker
  Slavery status
• LABOUR
• Elected May 1997, status of migrant domestic
  workers restored 23 July 1998

8
UNION SUPPORT

• We spoke at the Sunday afternoon meetings of
  migrant domestic workers
• We arranged TU education sessions
• We translated leaflets about union membership
• We arranged for migrant domestic workers to speak
  out in the European and International TU movement
• We provided rooms and food for events
• We jointly lobbied new Labour ministers

9
WHAT NOW?

• I would say that the legal rights issue has
  given domestic workers more confidence to
  challenge their employers TG Officer
• Key issues
• Minimum Wage and Working time regulations
  (holiday pay)
• Successful cases included 37,000 award
• Regular link with union branch
• Union learner rep certificates presented to 10
  domestic workers community learner reps

10
Most important factors identified by Kalayaan
members

• Having a strong organisation of migrant domestic
  workers
• Highlighting the issue in the EU parliament
• Documenting abuses suffered
• Providing an effective support service for
  domestic workers in need
• Having a close and consistent working
  relationship with a strong trade union

11
Believing inthe justice of the
campaignandhaving the capacityto dream ofa
better world for all,even when morale is low.
12
What we gained

• A campaign victory
• Led by Women and ethnic minority members, the
  TG Womens Committee and Womens Officer
• New members
• A strong united campaigning force
• Stronger community links
• And European and International links
• The chance to end terrible abuse
• INSPIRATION