Out of the Shadows: Organising and protecting domestic workers in Europe: The role of trade unions

Abstract:
This report is based on a conference organized by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). It introduces different kinds of efforts to organize informal and formal domestic workers in a number of European countries. While the focus is on trade union campaigns, the paper also introduces efforts by different kinds of actors to improve working conditions. One example is the Emergim project in Spain, which has brought together local governments; two trade union federations; an employers’ organization; a professional organization; a local university; women workers’ groups; and domestic workers’ associations in an effort to get formal recognition to domestic work. Other examples used in the report come from Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, and Italy. Elsewhere as well trade unions have built networks with social movements and NGOs, as well as used local media in defending domestic workers rights to decent work. In some of the countries, domestic workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements.