History

Chronology

Domestic Workers United began in 2000 as part of the Women Worker's Project of the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV) and Andolan: Organizing South Asian Workers. The organization has since expanded to include Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees in its fight to win respect and fair treatment for the 600,000 domestic workers in the greater New York area. Domestic Workers United educates individual workers about their rights, and advocates politics that promote "fair labor standards," as the group puts it, "in an industry where abuse and exploitation are the norm."

A very thoughtful history of the organization was done by Aleksandra Todorova of New York University in 2003. Ms. Todorova illustrates the typical situation a domestic worker might face in New York:

In New York City they are more than 600,000 and most of them are immigrant women of color. They speak English with heavy accents and they teach ABCs. They cook and wash the dishes and teach table manners. They walk the dog and watch the children make their first steps. They sweep floors, clean windows, do laundry, and teach "please" and "thank you." Few of them have health insurance, holidays, days off, or overtime and severance pay. Few of them sign contracts and when they do, few of them get to keep a copy. Few of them leave the house and when they do, some are not even allowed to talk to people.

Click here for the full text of Ms. Todorova's article

Activism

On November 1, 2003, Domestic Workers United held a conference to discuss the issues, obstacles and opportunities that the organization had encountered during its three year history. A second convention was held on October 23, 2004, and was followed by march through town. The event was advertised as "the largest gathering and march of domestic workers in the history of New York."

Current Projects

In March, 2005 Domestic Workers United filed a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with the New York State Assembly, sponsored by Assemblyman Keith Wright. The bill calls for a living wage, health benefits, overtime pay and vacation time for all domestic workers. Assemblyman Wright praised the bill, saying “This is not an issue of politics, this is an issue of humanity.”

The story was covered by The Filipino Express Online
(The article can be found at the bottom of the page.)

Related Organizations

Learn more about CAAAV through their Social Justice Movements page

[http://socialjustice.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/index.php/Andolan-_Organizing_South_Asian_Workers

Learn more about Andolan through their Social Justice Movements page]

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