How unionization is empowering Jamaican domestic workers to demand decent work
Retrieved on:
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
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While this work is essential to the functioning of the economy and to the well-being of many Jamaican families, domestic workers often experience low pay, poor working conditions and informal work arrangements.
Key Points:
- While this work is essential to the functioning of the economy and to the well-being of many Jamaican families, domestic workers often experience low pay, poor working conditions and informal work arrangements.
- Estimates put the number of domestic workers in Jamaica at around 56,000, 80 per cent of whom are women.
- To its credit, the Jamaican government has made progress toward making decent work a reality for domestic workers, including by raising the national minimum wage.
Decent work deficits persist
- It finds that domestic workers continue to experience deficits in decent work.
- Without government action, we fear that progress toward achieving decent work for this marginalized, but essential, workforce will stall.
- Just over half of survey respondents said they were not aware of any laws that protect domestic workers in Jamaica.
- Domestic workers are generally frustrated with Jamaica’s slow pace toward making decent work a reality in the sector.
Raising awareness
- The Jamaica Household Workers’ Union, with 7,280 members across 13 chapters, has done excellent work in raising domestic workers’ awareness of their rights and protections.
- Our report includes several recommendations that may act as a guide to action for achieving decent work for domestic workers in Jamaica.
Collective bargaining needed
- To strengthen collective representation and worker voice, the government should also work with employers’ groups and the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union to establish the legal and institutional framework and conditions necessary for collective bargaining in the domestic work sector.
- Decent work is fundamental to social justice, gender equality and fulfilling Jamaica’s commitments under the national development plan, Vision 2030 Jamaica.
Simon Black does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.