CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Trust (TNDWWT) and the National Domestic Workers Welfare Trust (NDWWT) have urged the State government to enact comprehensive legislation to protect domestic workers, fix a minimum wage of Rs 150/hour and ensure universal registration and social security coverage for all workers in the sector.

The demands include strengthening and adequately funding the Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Board, introducing written employment agreements between domestic workers and employers, and providing protection against violence, harassment and exploitation.

The trusts have also called for accessible grievance redressal mechanisms, legal aid and the right of domestic workers to organise themselves and join workers’ organisations. The demand aims to highlight the rights, dignity and contributions of domestic workers, most of whom are women from economically marginalised communities.

The trusts have sought periodic revisions to the proposed minimum wage to account for inflation. They have also called for comprehensive social security coverage that includes part-time, live-in, migrant and elderly domestic workers, ensuring that no category is excluded from welfare benefits.

“Domestic workers play a vital role in caring for children, elderly people and persons with disabilities, while managing household responsibilities that enable millions of families to participate in economic and social life. However, they continue to face low and irregular wages, long working hours, the absence of written employment agreements, harassment, unfair dismissal and limited access to social security,” said a member of TNDWWT.

The trusts have also appealed to employers and the public to recognise domestic workers’ rights and contributions, stressing the need for fair wages, legal protection and social security for this often-overlooked section of the workforce.

The observance of International Decent Work Day on October 24 comes 15 years after the adoption of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which recognised domestic workers’ entitlement to dignity, equality and social protection.