Friday, May 4th, 2007
Senate Introduces Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Ai-jen Poo
(646) 529-7000
Danielle Feris
(646) 202-3962
May 1, 2007
In Time for International Workers Day, New York Senate Introduces
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
New York, NY — Last week, the New York State Senate introduced S.
5235, a comprehensive set of labor standards for the invisible, yet
critical and growing industry of domestic work. Known as the Domestic
Workers Bill of Rights, the Bill would set a living wage and other
protections for workers who are employed as housekeepers, nannies, and
elderly caregivers in homes. Senator George D. Maziarz, the Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Labor, expressed his support for the Bill:
“As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor I believe this
legislation is an important step towards giving Domestic Workers the
recognition they deserve. I look forward to working with my fellow
Senators on progressing this issue forward.”
Domestic workers are currently subject to the minimum wage law but
excluded from many other labor protections, such as the right to
collectively bargain, federal occupational health and safety laws, and
federal family and medical leave laws. According to Assemblyman Keith
Wright, the Bill’s Assembly sponsor: “The nature of the domestic
services industry has always given the upper-hand to employers, and
too many take unfair advantage. We need to make sure that domestic
workers are treated fairly, offered reasonable wages, hours and
working conditions. The ‘Domestic Workers Bill of Rights’ would for
the first time offer critical protections for the hard-working members
of this often vulnerable population.”
“It’s about time we receive the protections we deserve. I personally
have worked long hours, for poverty wages, been denied days off and
treated as less than human. I don’t want another worker to go through
that,” says Joycelyn Gill-Campbell, a nanny in Westchester. Employers
have also expressed support for the legislation. Caroline Batzdorf,
employer of a nanny, shared her experience: “Domestic workers make it
possible for their employers to go to work and trust that our children
and elders are well cared for. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
provides much needed guidelines for us to know that these care-givers
will be appropriately supported to do the important work that they
do.”
On June 7, employers, workers, civic and faith leaders will hold a
Town Hall event titled, Peace in the Home: Domestic Work in New York
State. The event will be held at Judson Memorial Church at 55
Washington Square South at 6:30 pm and will explore the various issues
related to the domestic workforce in New York. The state Bill has
received endorsements from many organizations, including NY State
AFL-CIO, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, NY and Long Island Jobs
with Justice, National Employment Law Project, NY State Labor-Religion
Coalition, NY Immigration Coalition, Justice for Farmworkers
Coalition, League of Young Voters, AFSCME DC 37, Transport Workers
Union Local 100, SEIU Local 32BJ, and others.