ILO notes abuses, discrimination vs domestic workers in Europe

THE International Labor Organization (ILO) said domestic workers in rich European capitals still suffer from abuses and discrimination despite existing labor laws that respect their rights because many of them are undocumented.

An ILO analysis on the situation of domestic workers in Europe showed that despite clear domestic labor laws, European governments need to ratify the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

ILO legal specialist Martin Oelz said that ILO Convention 189 that takes effect next year after Uruguay and the Philippines ratified it will place domestic workers under the formal work sector and give them the right to exercise rights such as decent pay, better work hours and vacation leave.

“Establishing clearer rules to employ domestic workers and providing them with a real status is key to improving their situation,” Oelz explained.

“We believe that ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers will help give recognition and better protection to a profession that remains mostly invisible today. Domestic workers deserve to be seen and treated as real workers,” the ILO official added.

There are close to 800,000 Filipino workers in Europe, according to the European Affairs Desk of the Department of Foreign Affairs

(DFA). Many of these Filipino domestic workers are in rich capitals like France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands.

The ILO cited a case of 59-year-old, Coring, a Filipino domestic worker who lost her job in the Netherlands because she insisted on taking some days off and go on holidays.

Coring said her employers told her: “We already pay you a salary and you do not pay any taxes, why should you go on holiday on top of that?”

The ILO official said Coring’s case is particularly difficult because she is an undocumented worker. He said even domestic workers in a regular situation have problems being recognized as such.

Europe may be a champion on labor laws also covering domestic workers, according to the ILO official, but there are still some gaps in the legislation and compliance tends to be weak. –Estrella Torres / Reporter, Businessmirror