Today marks an important day for the future of domestic
workers in New Mexico and across the country. With the release of a national study, Home Economics: The
Invisible and Unregulated World of Domestic Work the National
Domestic Worker Alliance is shedding light on the labor conditions for one of
the fastest growing industries in the country: domestic care.
Who are domestic care workers? They are the tens of thousands of mostly women, many of whom are immigrant workers, who care for our country’s most vulnerable: our children, our aging and our individuals with special needs.
Who are domestic care workers? They are the tens of thousands of mostly women, many of whom are immigrant workers, who care for our country’s most vulnerable: our children, our aging and our individuals with special needs.
Domestic workers are trusted to feed, bathe, administer
medications, clean homes and provide companionship to our family members so
that Americans workers can get to their jobs and continue supporting their
families and our nation’s economy.
Despite their critical contribution, these workers are not
protected by the basic fair labor laws that others of us take for granted every
day. The Home Economics report surveyed over 2000 house cleaners, nannies
and caregivers across the country and found that many are paid below minimum
wage, do not receive over time pay, health benefits or workers
compensation. Many endure extended
working hours without a break, and many cited physical and verbal abuse that
went unreported due to the fear of losing their jobs. If we trust domestic workers with our family members, how
can we allow these conditions to persist?
In New Mexico, domestic care represents the second fastest
growing industry in our state, with over 6,000 new domestic care worker jobs projected by 2016. To respond to this growing need we must
ensure that families, educational institutions, employers and lawmakers work
together to prepare and protect this growing workforce.
As New Mexicans we must demand better working conditions and
basic labor protections for our domestic workers. This is the best way to guarantee that our aging parents and
our growing children are receiving the highest quality of care, which we all agree they deserve.
The photos below are from today's press conference in Albuquerque, NM. Encuentro and Strong Families New Mexico collaborated with OLE NM, NM Direct Caregivers Alliance and El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos.
To see highlights of this morning's press event: