Philippines: Domestic Workers Convention comes into force

3.4 million workers in the Philippines will have improved conditions as the Philippine senate approved the convention on decent work for domestic workers this week.

The Philippines is one of the major world suppliers of domestic labour. The country is the first Asian country to implement the new ILO labour standard that was adopted at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva in June last year.
 
The ratification implies the adoption of laws that recognise the right of domestic workers to organise and collectively defend their interests through trade unions and the right to a minimum wage in countries where such a wage exists. The convention also guarantees a monthly payment, access to social security, one day off per week and the regulation of working hours and leave days.
 
“By recognizing that decent work principles should be embedded in domestic work, the Philippines and the world are finally coming to terms with their humanity,” commented Sonny Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) to ITUC news. Read the full article and interview here.