Domestic Workers
Domestic workers march in Mumbai
8000 domestic workers under the banner of, ‘Maharashtra Rajya Gharkamgar Kriti Samiti’ marched to Mantralaya in Mumbai on 16 March demanding that they be recognised as workers. The Kriti Samiti, is a joint platform of domestic workers unions affiliated to AITUC, BMS CITU, HMS, INTUC, NTUI and Sarva Shramik Mahasangh, formed on 3 February 2011 to raise issues of wages, conditions of work and access to social security. The Kriti Samiti estimates 1.5 million domestic workers working in the state.
Domestic workers are the vast unorganised sector, with a total absence of regulation under the labour laws with no fixed hours of work or wages. There is no security of tenure, no concept of a weekly or any paid holiday and no social security benefits. Further, overwhelming majority of the workers are women, who are subjected to unprecedented levels of physical abuse and sexual exploitation.
Despite the poor conditions of work, the government has failed to bring any substantial law to improve their conditions. In the year 1995, Maharashtra government appointed a high level committee to study and delve into the issue of conditions of work and wages for unorganised workers. The committee as a result of their study, made recommendations for domestic workers, which took the form of Maharashtra Government Resolution in the year 2000.
These resolutions remained only on paper and fell short of minimum wage, and due to regular protests by Domestic Worker unions, in 2002, the government came out with a wage and welfare scheme for workers, which provided an outline, taking into regard both the issues.
But, ignoring this outline, Maharashtra government enacted ‘The Maharashtra Domestic Workers Welfare Board Act’ in December 2008. The government passed this legislation which directs them to provide several financial and welfare benefits, but the board has virtually no fiscal support thereby denying rights of lakhs of domestic workers.
Further, under the Act, the government constituted district-wise welfare boards with equal representation from the government, non-governmental organisations, workers and employers, but it has yet to formalise the stated benefits.
Demanding the implementation of the provisions under the 2008 Act, and need to regulate wages, conditions of work and access to social security, the ‘Maharashtra Rajya Gharkamgar Kriti Samiti’, organised a mass rally on 16 March.
The main demands of the Kriti Samiti are:
a) Minimum wages indexed on inflation should be fixed for domestic workers
b) All workers should be given ration cards and food grains at the price of BPL rates.
c) All workers should be provided housing units
d) Workers should be entitled to a weekly holiday and other leave on festivals and national holidays
e) Immediate implementation of insurance and pension schemes under the State provisions for the workers
f) Workers should be registered immediately under the Welfare Board and issued identity cards
On behalf of the New Trade Union Initiative,
M.A. Patil, Vice President
Milind Ranade, Secretary