National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM), Nagaland Region on Tuesday demanded that the state government include the domestic workers in the schedule of employment of minimum wages act. NDWM raised the demand, while addressing a press conference organized in collaboration with All Nagaland Domestic Workers union (ANDWU) in Dimapur.
The union also demanded zero tolerance on gender based violence for domestic workers.
At the press conference, some of the domestic workers gathered shared their pain and anguish they experienced in the hands of their employers.
One of them claimed that they had even experienced “sexual harassment” while other lamented of not being paid enough even after working on weekends.
Coordinator, NDWM, Sister Pramila Lobo lamented that most of the workers have no one to question in the absence of recognition of the workers as there was no specific law to protect them.
She added that the recent report of one minor girl, being reportedly assaulted by her employer and also domestic worker who jumped from a building, were just a tip of the iceberg, which came into light.
She maintained that there were many more instances where domestic workers have faced such situations but have gone unreported due to fear.
She further said that the state government’s move in registering ANDWU on November 28, 2018 was a “giant leap” towards the welfare of its members, but portrayed that more needs to be done to ensure that this vulnerable section of society enjoy basic human rights and social security.
Also, giving a power point presentation on a survey conducted by ANDWU, Lobo said that about 89% of domestic workers in the state do not get off days even during weekends and almost 31% were working more than nine hours a day, and 48% of the workers receiving monthly salary ranging from 0 to Rs. 3000.
Lobo stated that survey started back in 2014, involving 1900 domestic workers above the age of 18, majority from Dimapur.
Legal advisor, ANDWA, advocate T Limanochet Jamir said that since domestic workers in state were not recognized as workers by the state government, fixing minimum wage would not be possible, therefore workers land up exploited.
He further stated that the union has been requesting the state government for recognition of domestic work as work, which will enable the workers to come under common ground and thereby save them from being exploited.
Meanwhile, ANDWU will be observing International Domestic Workers Day on June 15, a day ahead of the actual day i.e. June 16.