PANJIM: The Domestic Workers Union in Goa, under the guidance of National Domestic Workers Forum in Mumbai has called on the Goa government to ensure the registration of all domestic workers — domestic helpers, maids, cooks, cleaners, etc and to provide them compensation under the Disaster Management Act, on account of loss of livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goa Domestic and Migrant Workers’ Forum, a union registered with the Goa Labour Commission is coordinating efforts on behalf of the Goa Domestic Workers Union in Goa.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 189 — Decent Work for Domestic Workers,’ adopted by the ILO on June 16, 2011, the Union has also written to various MPs to pass legislation for domestic workers in the light of which India will also be able to ratify Convention 189 and demonstrate to the South Asian countries, that India cares for this vulnerable section of workers.
All domestic worker unions have written to the Prime Minister but are fully aware that he will respond only if the MPs also vocalise this demand and make the existence of domestic workers visible.
Till date there is no exact data on our numbers but conservative estimates say we are over 30 million and the numbers are swelling as other work opportunities diminish. The majority of these workers are women and also single mothers so this is the only work that provides them with a livelihood. Yet, these workers have no protection, states a press release.
