- This event has passed.
Domestic workers in Sri Lanka launch signature campaign for Legal Act
The Domestic Workers Union, jointly with other unions and women’s movement, launched a public signature campaign in Colombo on June 16 2013, International Domestic Workers’ Day. It is a campaign to get support from the public to press the government to establish a domestic workers act. Several signature collection points were set up in Colombo: in Maradana (opposite of railway station), in front of a supermarket in Nugegoda and Fort Railway station. Members of the unions and women’s movement started to collect signatures from the passer by at 10.00 to 12.30 pm.
Details
The Domestic Workers Union, jointly with other unions and women’s movement, launched a public signature campaign in Colombo on June 16 2013, International Domestic Workers’ Day. It is a campaign to get support from the public to press the government to establish a domestic workers act. Several signature collection points were set up in Colombo: in Maradana (opposite of railway station), in front of a supermarket in Nugegoda and Fort Railway station. Members of the unions and women’s movement started to collect signatures from the passer by at 10.00 to 12.30 pm.
It was a Sunday on June 16. There were fewer people than usual on the street. Yet, members of the union found it encouraged that many people could understand the issues of domestic workers, although some openly refused to sign. A woman said “if I sign this I have to pay good salary to my domestic worker, therefore I don’t like to sign this”. Another person said “It is really good that you are talking about domestic workers, no one concern about them”. The union at last got more positive responses than the negative ones. Hand bills were also distributed. The hand bills illustrate problems faced by domestic workers and the union’s demands.
At all the three signature collection points, the police came and tried to send the union members away. They said the union did not get permission from them. Yet, the union insisted to continue the signature campaign and didn’t allow the police to stop their work.
The domestic workers union had had a few planning meetings on the signature campaign with other supportive groups. It was amazing to see the solidarity group’s support. The solidarity groups are Ceylon Workers Red Flag Union (RFU), National free trade union (NFTU), KanthaSakthi (KSO), Savisthri, Rural women’s front (RDF), National fishers solidarity organization (NFSO), Muslim women’s research and Action forum (MWRAF), Red Flag women’s Movement (RFWM).
The signature campaign will be continued for another 3 weeks. The collected signatures, together with domestic workers legal draft, will be handed to related government officers by Domestic Workers Union jointly with the solidarity groups.