LO welcomes the adoption of a Convention with a set of international standards to improve working conditions for domestic workers at the recent Conference of the ILO in Geneva.
At its 100th session in Geneva this month, the International Labour Conference adopted a ground breaking new Convention.
The Convention on domestic workers aims to protect domestic workers against exploitation and ensure that they have proper working conditions.
- Rights such as minimum wage, work-free days and healthcare insurance are uncommon for the millions of women, who perform domestic work in private homes all over the world. Quite the contrary. It is therefore a huge step forward that the ILO has now adopted a new Convention for Domestic workers says LO-Secretary, Marie-Louise Knuppert.
Sceptical employers
The European employers and governments have been uncooperative and very critical during the process. The Danish government voted for the Convention while the Confederation of Danish Employers voted against it. Meanwhile, the proposed Convention was passed with a solid majority among the Congress.
- I hope that the Danish government will, through its development policy, give priority to promoting the Convention and helping developing countries out in this process, says Marie-Louise Knuppert.
Marie-Louise Knuppert gave a speech to the Plenary at the Congress.
Click here to read her speech in English.