Domestic Workers’ Rights – Two years after the adoption of the ILO Convention
Programme:
9.00 – 9.15 Opening by the President of GUE/NGL Ms. Gabi Zimmer
9.15 – 10.00 On the situation of Domestic Workers. – Presentation by Karin Pape, International Coordinator of the International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN). On the situation for domestic workers in the world and on the IDWF Founding congress in Montevideo, the activities in the regions, with a special emphasis on Europe
– Presentation by Claudia Menne, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). On the global “12 by 12 campaign for ratification” organised by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
– Q&A
10.00 – 12.00 Domestic Workers NGO:s and Trade unions speak about their own experiences in their respective country and on their work for domestic workers rights.
Speakers from:
Italy : Ms. Giulia Mesinan ,Trade union CGIL/FILCAMS. Giulia is the vice chair of the EFFAT (European Federation of Trade Unions in the Food, Agriculture and Tourism) women's committee. Italy was the first country in the EU to ratify the ILO convention.
Ireland: Ms. Hilda Regaspi, Domestic Workers Action Group (DWAG) of the Migrants Right Centre Ireland.
Mr. Ed Kelly, SIPTU (Service Industrial Professional and Technical Union). SIPTU represents over 200,000 workers from virtually every category of employment across almost every sector of the Irish economy.
Germany: Ms. Barbara Kiesling, University of Bremen. Barbara is organising a pilot project “round table to organize quality work for domestic workers” in Bremen, Germany.
Great Britain, Ms Nuraeni Husni Abdulsalam and Ms Milagros Ermilinda Navarra, Justice4Domestic Workers. J4DW is a self-organisation of migrant Domestic Workers in the UK, who also act as a Unite Union official for domestic workers.
Greece: Mr. Arnel Lagman, KASAPI (Unity of Filipino migrant workers in Greece), KASAPI is in contact with thousands of migrant workers in Greece. Many of them are facing severe problems in the deep crisis of the country.
Philippines: Ms. Jille Belisario, Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers. Jille is based in the Netherlands.
Respect Network: Ms. Petra Snelders, Respect is a European network of migrant domestic workers’ self-organization and trade unions.
Anti Slavery International: Mr. Aidan McQuaide, Director. Anti-Slavery International works at local, national and international levels to eliminate all forms of slavery around the world.
12.00 – 12.30 On the situation of “Au pairs” and how to secure their rights
Adelita Montero, Domestic Workers Action Group, Ireland. On her own experiences as an “au pair” and the general situation.
15.00 – 16.00 The ILO-convention and the ratification process
Presentation by ILO-representative : Ms.Amelita King Dejardin, Chief Technical Adviser (Domestic Work), Inclusive Labour Markets, Labour Relations & Working Conditions Branch (INWORK), Conditions of Work and Equality Department, ILO, Geneva
Comments from: MEP Ms.Pervenche Beres , S&D and Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs/EMPL (to be confirmed) .
MEP Ms.Ines Zuber (GUE/NGL). Ines is the rapporteur on the European Parliament report “Authorisation for Member States to ratify, in the interests of the EU, the 2011 Convention concerning decent work for domestic workers, International Labour Organisation (Convention No 189)” which will be voted in the EMPL-committee on the same day (14/11 forenoon).
16.00 – 17.30 Debate
How to strengthen the rights of the domestic workers?
How to get more countries to ratify the convention?
Chair: Mikael Gustafsson, MEP (GUE/NGL)
Karin Pape, International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN)
Judith Kirton-Darling, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Amelita King Dejardin, International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Pervenche Beres, MEP (S&D) to be confirmed
Representative of the EU-Commission, name to be confirmed.
17.30 End of Conference.
Press contact: Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 646628 [email protected]