The following are several campaigns embarked upon by SADSAWU. Some of these campaigns are on-going.
v Exploitation by recruitment agencies
This remains one of the biggest challenges that SADSAWU faces. These agencies would recruit young women from the rural areas and foreign nationals, who are in the country either legally or illegally, to work for them. Given that these women are vulnerable and desperate to find work, these agencies accommodate them in the vilest of conditions and hire them out to clients at a reasonable rate. Needless to say, that when these women are in the country illegally they are even more exploited. However, while the agency would hire these (casual) workers out at a reasonable rate (e.g. R120-R150 a day), the workers, themselves, would only receive a pittance of this rate (e.g. R20).
SADSAWU has worked with the Daily Voice, a daily newspaper on the Cape Flats, and the Department of Labour in exposing and closing down some of these agencies. However, the Department places the most of the responsibility on the unions, SADSAWU, to expose and report these agencies to the authorities. The struggle, in respect to ensuring that domestic workers are not exploited by these agencies, continues.
v Living wage campaigns
The living wage campaign continues. SADSAWU and the rest of the labour movement have made sure that the minimum wage for domestic workers currently stands on R1340 per month. Nonetheless, given among others the current economic meltdown, this minimum wage is by no means, in fact far from, a living wage. Hardly anyone can survive today on R44 a day, taking into account that many families depend on the income of their domestic worker relative to survive.
v Health Act Campaign (Workers Compensation Act)
Research was undertaken by medical students at the homes of employers and therefore workplaces of our workers into how domestic workers are exposed to unhealthy situations and conditions e.g. chemicals. The outcomes of the research were presented to the South African Human Rights Commission. Hopefully we will present these findings to the Health Department as well.
v Sexual harassment at work
A number of sexual awareness campaigns were held as well as demonstrations in front of the homes of employers where abuse of workers took place. Again we will make a submission to Government with regards to the sexual abuse of our workers.
v Skills development centre for domestic workers
The Department of Labour has run, together with SADSAWU, a two year pilot program on skills training and development for domestic workers. Thus far nearly 27 000 workers have been trained. However, these skills were not necessarily what the union had intended or had in mind. The union envisages a skills development centre where workers will be empowered to move out of the sector too if they so wish. SADSAWU will have a meeting with the Department of Labour, with regards to these and other matters, within the next two months.
v Domestic workers to be recognized internationally
An international labour resolution (Convention 189) was adopted at the International Labour Organization Conference in June, 2011 on domestic workers. This legislation works toward ensuring that domestic workers will be acknowledged as workers who contribute to the economy and that as they should be given due recognition as workers. SADSAWU was invited to be part of the formulation and action of this resolution.
v Exploitation by recruitment agencies
This remains one of the biggest challenges that SADSAWU faces. These agencies would recruit young women from the rural areas and foreign nationals, who are in the country either legally or illegally, to work for them. Given that these women are vulnerable and desperate to find work, these agencies accommodate them in the vilest of conditions and hire them out to clients at a reasonable rate. Needless to say, that when these women are in the country illegally they are even more exploited. However, while the agency would hire these (casual) workers out at a reasonable rate (e.g. R120-R150 a day), the workers, themselves, would only receive a pittance of this rate (e.g. R20).
SADSAWU has worked with the Daily Voice, a daily newspaper on the Cape Flats, and the Department of Labour in exposing and closing down some of these agencies. However, the Department places the most of the responsibility on the unions, SADSAWU, to expose and report these agencies to the authorities. The struggle, in respect to ensuring that domestic workers are not exploited by these agencies, continues.
v Living wage campaigns
The living wage campaign continues. SADSAWU and the rest of the labour movement have made sure that the minimum wage for domestic workers currently stands on R1340 per month. Nonetheless, given among others the current economic meltdown, this minimum wage is by no means, in fact far from, a living wage. Hardly anyone can survive today on R44 a day, taking into account that many families depend on the income of their domestic worker relative to survive.
v Health Act Campaign (Workers Compensation Act)
Research was undertaken by medical students at the homes of employers and therefore workplaces of our workers into how domestic workers are exposed to unhealthy situations and conditions e.g. chemicals. The outcomes of the research were presented to the South African Human Rights Commission. Hopefully we will present these findings to the Health Department as well.
v Sexual harassment at work
A number of sexual awareness campaigns were held as well as demonstrations in front of the homes of employers where abuse of workers took place. Again we will make a submission to Government with regards to the sexual abuse of our workers.
v Skills development centre for domestic workers
The Department of Labour has run, together with SADSAWU, a two year pilot program on skills training and development for domestic workers. Thus far nearly 27 000 workers have been trained. However, these skills were not necessarily what the union had intended or had in mind. The union envisages a skills development centre where workers will be empowered to move out of the sector too if they so wish. SADSAWU will have a meeting with the Department of Labour, with regards to these and other matters, within the next two months.
v Domestic workers to be recognized internationally
An international labour resolution (Convention 189) was adopted at the International Labour Organization Conference in June, 2011 on domestic workers. This legislation works toward ensuring that domestic workers will be acknowledged as workers who contribute to the economy and that as they should be given due recognition as workers. SADSAWU was invited to be part of the formulation and action of this resolution.
