Two years ago, Domestic Workers United (DWU) asked if we’d support them to analyse the domestic worker industry in New York. As we talked through how to approach the project, it became clear that reliable information could not be gathered from existing labor market research sources—DWU would need to collect it. And so DWU embarked on a community-based project conducting surveys amongst their membership and community of domestic workers. The project was designed, carried out, and led by domestic workers. Although DataCenter has long integrated popular education methods into our trainings, this project opened up for us an additional approach to flatten inequities that exist between researchers and communities that are researched. (more…)

Since the abolition of institutionalized slavery, domestic workers have been invisible, exploited and left out of labor protections and the labor movement. Their labor has rarely been recognized by lawmakers or society at large as “real work.” However, in global cities like New York, the domestic work industry is expanding, providing childcare and home care while their employers go to work. Today, the New York City economy is supported by one of the largest domestic worker labor forces in the country. Still, working conditions have improved little since the 1860s. Once a field for predominantly African American women, the domestic work industry is now dominated by immigrant women fleeing the widespread destruction and devastation left by the globalization process in the Third World. Domestic workers, especially live-in workers, work long hours, have little job security, and no control over living or working conditions. Domestic workers are isolated in their workplace, forced to negotiate conditions one-on-one with employers. There are no clear standards for domestic employment and the few protections that exist are rarely enforced.

Domestic Workers United is an alliance of domestic workers and domestic worker organizations working to build power among domestic workers, raise the level of respect for domestic work and establish fair labor standards in the domestic work industry of New York City. DWU has initiated a campaign to amend New York State Labor Law to ensure domestic workers receive living wages and fair benefits, are protected from trafficking, recognized as employees and entitled to protections under state labor law and human rights law.

Because the domestic work industry is fragmented, informal and underground, it is impossible to rely on Census or labor data to analyse industry-wide trends. DWU and DataCenter are collaborating on a community documentation project to gather data on practices and issues within the industry. Using a participatory, community-based research model, the project engages domestic workers in all aspects of the research and analysis. The documentation project will be used in organizing, policy and media work to improve conditions for domestic workers.

For further information contact Domestic Workers United.