Domestic workers to be covered by labour laws soon

As many as 6.4 million domestic workers in India, a majority of them women, will soon be covered by labour laws on minimum wages, working hours, off-day in a week, overtime wages, maternity leave, social security and so on. The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to place before Parliament a new instrument adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at its 100th conference in Geneva — the ILO adopted the Domestic Workers Convention-189 and Domestic Workers Recommendation-201. The Union Labour Minister, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, had supported the adoption of the instruments at its conference held in June in Geneva. Since domestic work is undocumented and poorly regulated, the ILO Convention contains requirements for Governments to regulate private employment agencies, investigate complaints and lays down special measures for migrant workers, who are the worst affected.