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South Africa: Domestic workers summit recognises significant contribution of domestic workers to the economy

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by IDWFED published Aug 28, 2011 12:00 AM
In August, the South African Domestic Services and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), COSATU, NACTU, FEDUSA, International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Law Project, Labour Research Service, ANCWL, Progressive Women Movement of South Africa came together to celebrate Women's Month and to highlight the call to the South African Government to start the processes of ratifying the Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.
  • South Africa: Domestic workers summit recognises significant contribution of domestic workers to the economy
  • 2011-08-28T00:00:00+00:00
  • 2011-08-28T23:59:59+00:00
  • In August, the South African Domestic Services and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), COSATU, NACTU, FEDUSA, International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Law Project, Labour Research Service, ANCWL, Progressive Women Movement of South Africa came together to celebrate Women's Month and to highlight the call to the South African Government to start the processes of ratifying the Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.
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Aug 28, 2011 (Universal / UTC0)
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SOUTH AFRICA -

In August, the South African Domestic Services and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), COSATU, NACTU, FEDUSA, International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Law Project, Labour Research Service, ANCWL, Progressive Women Movement of South Africa came together to celebrate Women's Month and to highlight the call to the South African Government to start the processes of ratifying the Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

The 100th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) on 16 June 2011 adopted the first ever Domestic Workers Convention and Recommendations on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. The Convention recognizes the "significant contribution of domestic workers to the global economy" and that domestic work is "undervalued, invisible, and is mainly carried out by women and girls, many of whom are migrants or members of disadvantaged communities".

The Summit recognizes that domestic work has been growing socially and economically but domestic workers remain one of the most undervalued, underpaid and unprotected by the legislations. South Africa's sectoral determination on Domestic Work has attempted to establish conditions of employment, minimum wage, UIF and Social Security coverage. But the summit identified lots of gaps which the convention and recommendation is attempting to close, such as Occupational Health and Safety and respect to maternity leave, protection of migrant workers, right to repatriation, right to privacy, paid overtime and standby, right of a domestic worker to education, abolition of child labour, and right to collective bargaining.

The summit also recognises the massive and significant contribution of domestic workers to the economy of South Africa and globally and that the South African Sectoral Determination 7 has established a good basis for the drafting of the convention and recommendation. But also there are gaps that exist between the Sectoral Determination and the Convention. That is why the call, and the emphasis, by the Domestic Workers Summit for South African Government to be the First Country to Ratify the Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

It is estimated that there are about 1 million domestic workers in the country who are mainly black, in particular African. According to government statistics in the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) there are 876,000 domestic workers. However, the number of domestic workers registered with the UIF amounts to 647,126 (July 2011 figures).

The conference was addressed by among others the Honourable Minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant, the COSATU Deputy General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali, the Director of Pretoria office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Vic Van Vuuren and the President of the ANC Women's League, Angie Motshekga.

The Summit handed over Convention 189 on Domestic Work is Decent Work and the Convention 183 on Maternity Protection to the Minister of Labour for her to start engaging with the relevant structures in order to enable the South African government to be the first country to ratify the Convention. The two conventions were also handed over to the President of the ruling party's women league (ANCWL) to engage the ruling party when formulating policies.

The Summit empowered workers on what the Convention entails and what it means for South African domestic workers.

The Summit resolved on the following:

  •     A need to embark on a study to assess the contribution of domestic workers to the economy, as all women are domestic workers whether paid or unpaid
  •     To demand that government should penalise employers for employing migrant workers without the required work permits.
  •     To demand that employers should provide for housing that is closer to the workplace.
  •     To unite domestic workers and encourage workers to join trade unions.
  •     Trade unions should assist domestic workers organizations financially, technically and in the provision of facilities for meetings, etc.
  •     To raise awareness about the Convention through bodies such as the CCMA
  •     To translate the Convention in mother tongue languages.
  •     To establish a national forum that comprises of different federations: COSATU, FEDUSA, NACTU and domestic workers' organizations in order to build a strong united voice and to carry through this programme.
  •     To demand the establishment of a bargaining council for domestic workers
  •     To campaign for the extension of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to domestic workers
  •     To support the banning of labour brokers
  •     To develop organisational capacity of domestic workers' trade unions
  •     To establish recruitment campaigns that will involve all stakeholders and develop strategies that take into account the specific situation of domestic workers
  •     To use all forms of media, e.g. community radio stations, to inform domestic workers about their rights in particular on the Convention and the sectoral determination.
  •     To sensitize employers about the Convention and other policies and laws on domestic workers
  •     To include protection and advancement of domestic workers' rights through, among others, affiliates' programmes
  •     To campaign for Affiliates' members to allow their domestic workers to join trade unions
  •     To encourage Affiliates to invite domestic workers trade unions to their educational programmes
  •     To make calls to government for skills development systems that would empower workers beyond domestic work
  •     To demand exemption or relaxation of trade union registration requirements for domestic workers' organizations and other vulnerable sectors
  •     To campaign for stronger compliance and enforcement measures through among others' inspectorate systems.
  •     To organize a 'domestic workers parliament' so that their views can be heard by politicians
  •     To convene an annual domestic workers' summit to evaluate progress and develop new strategies
  •     To establish domestic workers' watch programs in the areas where they are working
  •     To ensure that domestic workers earn a living and decent wage
  •     To use the national days to blitz and raise awareness on domestic workers legislation.
  •     Migration laws and procedure to be amended; migration officials not be involved in disputes
  •     Domestic worker must not be deported whilst the person's case is still in dispute and not resolved.
  •     Housing allocation to domestic workers should be closer to their workplace areas

Submitted by Gertrude Mtsweni (National Gender Co-ordinator)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Phone: +27 11 339-4911/24
Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940
Mobile: +27 76 214 5216
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