The professionalisation of domestic work

Key points

As its contribution to the ILO's international labour conference in June 2010 on "decent work for domestic workers", the EESC recommends professionalising such jobs. The Committee therefore calls on all European stakeholders, Member States and social partners to:

• Carry out further research in order to obtain more precise data on the regulations, working, employment conditions and social protection of domestic workers and the application of these rights in EU Member States.
• Introduce provisions in the Member States in the areas of tax, social insurance, labour law and civil law, increasing the motivation of the parties to make use of a legal contract.
• Promote information/training on the obligations and rights of employers and workers.
• Further develop existing reference guides, describing the tasks and responsibilities, qualities and skills involved in this type of work. Encourage European sectoral dialogue on these activities.
• Compare the different types of organisation (public services, businesses, associations, cooperatives, direct employment, etc.) in terms of workers' rights and the quality of the service provided.
• Provide for the certification of experience and lifelong learning.
• Facilitate innovation in the way in which this sector is organised by supporting experimentation with new ideas and developing new forms of organisation.
• Identify, reduce and prevent work-related risks inherent to domestic work, guarantee conditions that are no less favourable than those enjoyed by other workers in terms of health and safety at work and social security benefits, including maternity leave and retirement pensions.
• Combat the considerable amount of illegal work in this sector and protect migrant women who are in irregular circumstances and suffer abuse.