The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Domestic workers seek minimum wages Act

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Thursday, Jan 10, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Domestic workers seek minimum wages Act

Staff Reporter

Photo: S. Mahinsha

Loud and clear: A rally taken out as part of World Domestic Workers’ Day celebrations in the city on Wednesday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jeanne Devos, the founder and co-ordinator of the National Domestic Workers Movement has urged the State government to pass a minimum wages Act for domestic workers. She was speaking in connection with the World Domestic Workers’ Day celebration held in the city on Wednesday.

“Andhra Pradesh government has already passed a Bill in this regard. The Tamil Nadu Assembly will approve it in eight days. I hope the Kerala government too will respond to our request,” she said.

Sr. Devos, a native of Belgium has been working for the welfare of the domestic workers for the past two decades. Today the movement is active in 23 States across the country.

“The nation salutes you for your contribution in improving the quality of life,” she told a rapt audience of domestic workers who had assembled from various parts of the State.

“Twenty years ago this kind of solidarity among domestic workers was unthinkable. But now we have become a national movement,” said Sr. Devos.

Other demands

The meeting was preceded by a rally attended by hundreds of domestic workers.

Some of their demands are launch of welfare schemes, special legislations, provision to register with the labour department, weekly off, one-month wage as bonus during Onam, provision to enrol in the Employment State Insurance Scheme, setting up of a cell to sort out differences with employers and adopting stringent measures to curb human trafficking.

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