Condition of Domestic Workers Government s policy Work

Condition of Domestic Workers Government’s policy & Work done by Jagrut Ghar Kamgar Sanghatana ? kjsyw et+nwjksa dh ifjf. LFkfr ljdkj dh uhfr vk. Sj tkx`r ? kj dkexkj la? k. Vuk dk dk; Z 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 1

How many domestic workers in Mumbai vkt eq. Ecb. Z esa fdruh eksydjhu g. Sa • As per our estimate, Mumbai has 5 -6 lakh domestic workers • Our Sanghatana has 17, 000 members • So we have been able to reach 3 -4% of them only • Domestic workers are the largest segment of unorganised workers § gekjs vankt+ ls de 5 & 6 yk[k eksydjhu eq. Ecb. Z esa g. SA § gekjs lax. Bu esa 17]000 l. Hkkln g. Sa. A § ; kfu ds 3 ls 4 Áfr’kr yksxksa ds ikl gh ge igqap lds g. Sa. A § vlaxf. Br dkexkj {ks= dk ; g lc ls c. M+k ? k. Vd g. SA 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 2

Why are women compelled to be domestic workers? eksydjhu D; wa cuuk i. M+rk g. S Husband loses job, e. g. , closure of textile mills Addictions of husband Husband’s death or deserts wife or relationship with another woman Old women not looked after by their children § en. Z dh uk. Sdjh pyh tkuk & mnkgj. k fey can i. M+uk § en. Z dk O; luk/khu gksuk § en. Z dh ek. Sr ; k vk. Sjr dks Nks. M+ nsuk] ; k vkneh ds nks fj’rsa § cw<+h fo/kok] ftl dks c. Pps ugha ns[krs 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 3

Why are women compelled to be domestic workers? eksydjhu D; wa cuuk i. M+rk g. S & 2 Inflation Economic situation Lack of education Migration § § Ekgaxkbz. Z vkf. Fk. Zd ifjf. LFkfr f’k{kk dk v. Hkko LFkyakrj 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 4

Very strenuous working conditions dke dh ifjf. LFkfr cgqr gh df. Bu • Severe damage to hands and feet due to work for 8 -10 hours daily with water • Victim of many illnesses due to constant standing or bending • No assurance of tea or refreshments; separately made tea of poor quality § 8 & 10 ? ka. Vs ikuh esa dke djds gk. Fk i. Sj l. M+ tkrs g. Sa. A § yxkrkj >qd dj ; k [k. M+k gksdj dke djus dh otg ls vyx fcekfj; ksa dh f’kdkj curh g. Sa. A § pk; uk’rsa dh xkja. Vh ugha. A pk; feyh rks vyx ls cuk; h gqb. Z] ikuh t. Slh. A 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 5

Very strenuous working conditions dke dh ifjf. LFkfr cgqr gh df. Bu-2 • Not treated like human beings; separate place to sit, separate utensils; have to face untouchability all the time • Discrimination on the basis of religion and caste § balku t. Slk crk. Zo ugha feyrk. A vyx cr. Zu] vyx c. SBus dh txg] Nqvk Nwr & ; g lc >syuk i. M+rk g. SA § tkr ikr] /ke. Z ds vk/kkj ij Hksn. Hkko gksrk g. SA 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 6

Very strenuous working conditions-3 dke dh ifjf. LFkfr cgqr gh df. Bu & 3 or gratuity • No pension o r provident fund • Thrown out of job when old after working for 25 -30 years • No payment for extra work • Asked to send children when ill; otherwise get the extra work done next day yet salary is cut for absence § uk isa’ku] uk Qa. M] uk x. Sz. P; q. Vh. A § 25 & 30 lky , d gh ? kj esa dke djus ds ckn cw<+h cuus ij ls. Bkuh fudky nsrh g. Sa. A § , DLVªk dke dk i. Slk ugha feyrk. A § fcekj i. M+s rks dgrh g. Sa fd c. Ppksa dks Hkstks. A vk. Sj ugha rks nwljs fnu dke djok ds Hkh ixkj 2 Aug 2009 dk. Vrh g. Sa. ALRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 7 dks

Very strenuous working conditions-4 dke dh ifjf. LFkfr cgqr gh df. Bu & 4 • If child has not done work satisfactorily, use this as a pretext to get double work done • If raise in salary is asked, falsely accused of theft and thrown out • If anything is lost at employer’s home, domestic worker is the first to be suspected and straight away taken to police station § c. Pps us v. PNk ugha dke fd; k] bl cgkus ij nwljs fnu Mcy dke djok ysrh g. Sa. A § vxj ixkj c<+kus dks dgk rks pksjh dk >w. Bk b. Yt+ke yxkdj fudky nsrh g. Sa. A § vxj ekyfdu ds ? kj esa dksb. Z o. Lrw [kks x; h] rks igyk 'kd vk. Sj b. Yt+ke eksydjhu ij yxk; k tkrk g. SA vk. Sj lh/kk iwfyl LVs’ku ij ys tkrs g. Sa. A 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 8

Very strenuous working conditions-5 dke dh ifjf. LFkfr cgqr gh df. Bu & 5 • Young girls made to work from morning to 12 o’clock in the night • On the top of it, they have to face sexual harassment and indecent behaviour from maalik or their sons • Afraid to raise voice due to fear of spoiling their own reputation and losing the job • Many ladies of the house also look at them with suspicion • There are, of course, a few good ladies of the house § Nks. Vh cf. Pp; ksa ls dke djokrs g. Sa] mudh ekj ih. V djrs g. Sa] lqcg ls jkr ds 12 & 1 rd dke djokrs g. Sa. A § blds vkxs , d rj. Q+ ekfyd ; k mlds cs. Vksa ds }kjk y. Safxd ’kks"k. k] xyr ut+j ls ns[kuk ; s lc gksrk g. SA § vkokt+ m. Bk; h rks [kqn gh cn~uke gks tkrs g. Sa ; k uk. Sdjh [kksus dk Mj gksrk g. SA § mldh rj. Q+ db. Z lss. Bkfu; ak Hkh ’kd ysrh g. SA § pan ls. Bkfu; ak v. PNh Hkh gksrh g. Sa. A 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 9

Law enacted for domestic workers in 2008 esa eksydjfu; ksa ds fy, dkuwu cuk. A • We undertook many processions, demonstration and other activities to get the law enacted • After a long struggle of 4 years, law was enacted but it has many shortcomings • No board has been constituted to implement the law • Important issue of social security has been ignored in the law § dkuwu cukus ds fy, eksps. Z] /kjus vk. Sj cgqr lkjs dk; ZØe ge ysrs jgs. A § 4 lky dh y. M+kb. Z ds ckn 2008 esa eksydjfu; ksa ds fy, dkuwu cuk] ftl esa cgqr gh [kkfe; ak g. Sa. A § ; g det+ksj dkuwu ykxw djus ds fy, cks. MZ Hkh ugha cuk; k g. SA § Lkekftd lqjf{krrk t. Sls vge~ eqÌs dks ut+jvankt+ fd; k x; k g. SA 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 10

What are our demands? ge D; k pkgrs g. Sa Implement a comprehensive act for unorganised workers One paid weekly holiday must be granted Implement the principle of equal pay for equal work and extra pay for extra work § vlaxf. Br {ks= esa lo. Zd’k dkuwu ykxw djks § ljdkjh fu; eksa ds vuqlkj gj g¶+rs esa , d osru lfgr Nq. V~Vh feyuh gh pkfg, § leku dke ds fy, leku osru vk. Sj T; knk dke ds fglkc ls osru KEC, TISS Symposium feyuk gh pkfg, 2 Aug 2009 LRS, 11

What are our demands? ge D; k pkgrs g. Sa 2 Pension must be given by government after 60 years of age Bonus for Diwali festival must be given Stipend must be given for studying children § mez ds 60 lky ds ckn ljdkj us isa’ku nsuk pkfg, § fnokyh cksul feyuk pkfg, § lh[kusokys c. Ppksa dks inoh rd f’k"; o`fÙk feyuh pkfg, 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 12

What are our demands-3 ge D; k pkgrs g. Sa & 3 Benefit of health schemes for workers Benefit of insurance scheme for workers Yellow ration card for domestic workers below poverty line § dkexkj vkjks. X; ; kstuk dk yk. Hk § dkexkj chek ; kstuk dk yk. Hk § nkfjnzÓ js[kk ds uhps vkusokys ? kjsyw et+nwjksa dks vk. Sj eksydjfu; ksa dks ihyk jk’ku dk. MZ feyuk pkfg, 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 13

What are our demands-4 ge D; k pkgrs g. Sa & 4 Domestic workers should not be called to the police station during the night; police must instead inform the workers’ organisation first Government must appoint a Board for domestic workers which must have the representatives of the union § jkr ds le; eksydjfu; ksa dks iqfyl Fkkus ij uk cqyk; k tk, A mlds ckjs esa lwpuk lax. Bu dks igys gh nsuh pkfg, A § eksydjfu; ksa ds fy, ljdkj us dkexkj cks. MZ fu; q. Dr djuk pkfg, ] ftl esa lax. Bu ds Áfrfu/kh gksa. A 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 14

What our Union has been doing gekjh ; wfu; u D; k djrh vk; h g. S & 1 Uniting the domestic workers After struggling for 4 years, a law was passed The struggle for a Board is on The struggle for pension is on We raise their consciousness about their rights We motivate them to fight for their rights eksydfjuksa dks , dtw. V djuk 4 lky dh y. M+kb. Z ds ckn 2008 esa dkuwu cuk cks. MZ ds fy, y. M+kb. Z t+kjh is. U’ku ds fy, y. M+kb. Z t+kjh muds D; k vf/kdkj g. Sa muds ckjs esa tkx`r djuk vius gd+ksa ds fy; s y. M+us ds fy, Áo`Ùk djuk 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 15

What our Union has been doing gekjh ; wfu; u D; k djrh vk; h g. S & 2 Fight against false accusations of theft, and agaisnt sexual exploitation We raise our voices agasint unjust employers We try to improve the health by organising various medical camps We make Self Help Groups to save themfrom the clutches of moneylenders We open their bank accounts pksjh dk >w. Bk b. Yt+ke] y. Safxd ’kks"k. k ds f[kyk. Q+ y. M+uk v. U; k; djusokys ekfydksa ds f[kyk. Q+ vkokt+ m. Bkuk vyx esf. Mdy d. WEi yxkdj vkjks. X; dh f. LFkfr esa lq/kkj cpr x. V cukdj lkodkj ds paxqy ls cpkuk c¡sd vdkma. V cukuk 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 16

What our Union has been doing gekjh ; wfu; u D; k djrh vk; h g. S & 3 We register their names with the police committees so that they will not be harassed under false charges We make ration cards and Senior Citizen Cards. We organise camps on various issues like personality development and leadership development We have opened a school for 35 women iqfyl des. Vh esa uko nt. Z djuk rkfd muds f[kyk. Q+ dkjokb. Z uk gksa js’ku dk. MZ r. Fkk T; s"B ukxfjd dk. MZ cukuk lat; xak/kh fujk/kkj ; kstuk ds rgr is. U’ku fnyokuk vyx eqÌksa ij f’kfcj] t. Sls fd O; f. Dre. Ro fodkl vk. Sj usr`Ro fodkl 35 vk. Sjrksa ds fy, Ldwy [kksyk 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 17

Our organisation’s plans for coming days vkusokys fnuksa esa lax. Bu ds dk; ZØe bl Ádkj ds g. Sa Every person must get a ration card Rationing system must be strengthened Every ration card holder must get minimum 35 kg foodgrains Every domestic worker must have a bank account Every self-help group must receive bank assistance § gj , d balku dks jk’ku dk. MZ feyuk gh pkfg, § jk’ku O; o. LFkk et+cwr gksuh pkfg, § gj , d jk’ku dk. MZ ij fdeku 35 fdyks vukt feyuk gh pkfg, § gj , d ckb. Z dk c. Sad esa [kkrk gksuk gh pkfg, § gj , d cpr x. V dks c. Sad dk le. Fk. Zu feyuk gh pkfg, 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 18

Our organisation’s plans for coming days vkusokys fnuksa esa lax. Bu ds dk; ZØe bl Ádkj ds g. Sa Every slum must have a self-help group Work for empowerment of women Organise medical camps for improving health of women domestic workers Various consciousness raising programmes § gj c. Lrh esa cpr x. V cukuk § efgyk l{kehdj. k ds fy, dk; Z § eksydjfu; ksa ds vkjks. X; esa lq/kkj ykus ds fy, esf. Mdy d. WEi § vyx tu tkx`fr dk; ZØe 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 19

Many thanks to organisers and audience • vk; kstdksa dks vk. Sj Jksrkx. k dks /k. U; okn 2 Aug 2009 LRS, KEC, TISS Symposium 20