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Switzerland: Zurich deputies concerned about implemantation of Domestic Workers' right

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by IDWFED published May 03, 2012 12:00 AM
Contributors: Kantonsrat Zürich
Interpellation at cantonal parliament of Zurich by AL (Alternative List) deputies concerning Domestic Workers' rights implementation referring to the new law from 1 Jan 2011 on minimum wages and regulated labor time.

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SWITZERLAND -

In the last ten years the number of persons employed in Swiss private households doubled itself: Far over 100,000 persons work as domestic workers - partially in precarious work conditions. With the coming into force of the normal work contract (NAV) on 1 January 2011 domestic workers in Switzerland claim to regular work times and an obligatory minimum wage - independent of whether they clean, launder, cook or assist with the support of children, elderly or patients.

A special form of this care work is the so-called “commuters' migration”. Among those are domestic workers, who care for elderly people in their homes. These domestic workers work several weeks at a stretch and thereafter are replaced by other domestic workers.

The domestic workers, who are replaced, return for some weeks to their country of origin and enter after their homeland vacation again into Switzerland. “Commuter migrants” are particularly mediated by agencies and come mostly from Germany and the Eastern European EU-countries. This form of private care work is explosive for several reasons: from view of the equality, the public health policy, the industrial law and the conditions of work.

The responsible persons do not have to prove a specific professional training. The conditions of work are hardly adjusted and difficult to control. The responsible persons are in most cases paid only for a part of the work time however a presence time of 24 hours is required.

The deputies ask the cantonal government how the law is implemented, whether there are figures about the involved domestic workers and how the governments intends to improve the work conditions.

Read the impellation in German: Anfrage betreffend Arbeitsmarkt Privathaushalt: Volkswirtschaftliche Bedeutung und arbeitsrechtliche Absicherung im Kanton Zürich

Source: Kantonsrat Zürich

Story Type: News

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