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Netherlands: IDWN Solidarity note to the domestic workers and cleaners

Netherlands: IDWN Solidarity note to the domestic workers and cleaners

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by IDWFED published Feb 20, 2012 12:00 AM
The International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN) is watching with great interest the events in the Netherlands. For the second year, the cleaners and domestic workers have to go on strike in order to achieve an acceptable collective agreement for the industry. We are very proud that the Dutch domestic workers are part of this important struggle!

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NETHERLANDS -

International  Domestic Workers Network (IDWN)
c/o
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers'
Associations (IUF)
Rampe du Point Rouge 8
CH-1213 Petit Lancy

IDWN Solidarity note to the domestic workers and cleaners in the Netherlands

The  International  Domestic  Workers  Network  (IDWN)  is  watching  with  great  interest  the  events  in  the Netherlands. For the second year, the cleaners and domestic workers have to go on strike in order to achieve an acceptable collective agreement for the industry. We are very proud that the Dutch domestic workers are part of this important struggle!

Far  too  long  cleaners  were  left  behind  in  terms  of  wages  and  decent  working  conditions  in  general.  The conditions  for  domestic workers  are  even  worse,  as  they  are  excluded  from  basic  labour  rights  and  access  to social protection.

We  acknowledge  the  approach  of  the  Dutch  cleaning  employers  association  "De  Ondernemersorganisatie Schoonmaak- en  Bedrijfsdiensten",  OSB,  which  recognizes  domestic  workers  as  workers  and  thus  enables protection under the existing collective agreement for those who are employed by agencies .

However, this is not enough! The vast majority of domestic workers are having individual employers. Many of the domestic workers are undocumented migrant workers who do not enjoy basic human and labour rights. This has to stop!

For the first time in history an international treaty for the protection of all domestic workers was adopted at the International Labour Conference in June 2011. The ILO Convention C189 provides adequate protection for all domestic workers, no matter what their immigration status is and no matter who the employer is.

All Dutch delegates to the ILO Conference in June 2011 in Geneva: the government, the workers and the employers representatives voted in favour of the Convention!

Now, this international treaty needs to be put in practice. We support our brothers and sisters in the Netherlands in  their  demands  for  ratification  of  the  ILO  Convention C189  and  for  implementation  through  appropriate national laws. This means no more and not less, that domestic workers can enjoy the same labour rights as any other workers in the Netherlands.

We wish FNV Bondgenoten, the strong organization of the cleaners and domestic workers in the Netherlands, a successful outcome of your strike and negotiations.

Domestic Workers unite – in the Netherlands and in the world!
Domestic workers worldwide stand at your side – your struggle is our struggle!

In solidarity, on behalf of the International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN)
Elizabeth Tang

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