Ban 24×7 work agreements: Domestic workers’ union writes to Gurgaon DC

In their memorandum, John said they have sought to extend a hand for a constructive dialogue on the working conditions of the domestic workers in the district.

The demands include a ban on 24×7 domestic work agreements, clear directives on working hours, minimum wages, working hours, meals, off days, and medical expenses, a survey of such workers; and compulsory registration of complaints by police.

Expressing that 24×7 domestic workers, especially women and children, are the most susceptible to sexual abuse and exploitation, GKU demanded that this work agreement be prohibited as it compels several impoverished women and children into a situation similar to slavery, wherein they are continuously under the physical control of their employers.

“Forced to work on the beck and call of their employers, and tied to the private residence of the employer, such full-time domestic work breeds high levels of exploitation. It allows for intense invisibilisation of domestic workers from the public eye since 24×7 domestic work agreements are more difficult for authorities to regulate as even when complaints are made by domestic workers, the police personnel often actively resort to a cover-up in connivance with the employers/RWAs,” the memorandum stated.

They further demanded that the representatives of domestic workers’ unions be included in the committee that is preparing the charter of rights for domestic workers. The memo said that any charter of rights should specify the working conditions of domestic workers with details of minimum wages, working hours, meals, off days, medical expenses, etc.

“The administration must compulsorily ensure a comprehensive survey of domestic workers across the district and maintain a registry of all domestic workers and their employers. Since often the complaints of domestic workers are brushed aside by the police personnel in collusion with the employers/RWAs, it must be ensured that complaints by domestic workers are compulsorily filed by the police administration,” they demanded in the memo.