This morning, New York Governor Patterson signed into law the first-ever U.S. law that upholds domestic workers’ rights. 200,000 nannies, housekeepers, and elder caregivers in New York will be covered under a law that provides guaranteed sick days, overtime pay, a day of rest, protection from discrimination, and notice before termination. This groundbreaking victory is a result of a six-year campaign led by Domestic Workers United and supported by a broad coalition of labor and community organizations, including JwJ coalitions in NY State.
“Today we correct an historic injustice by granting those who care for the elderly, raise our children and clean our homes the same essential rights to which all workers should be entitled,” Governor Paterson said. “I am grateful to the sponsors for their extraordinary efforts to enact this landmark bill, and most of all to those domestic workers who dreamed, planned, organized and then fought for many years, until they were able to see an injustice undone.”
The victory in New York sets a precedent for what is possible to win in other states, not just for domestic workers but for workers in other industries excluded from labor law protections — farmworkers, guestworkers, day laborers, temporary workers, and public employees in many states. The 1932 National Labor Relations Act, the main law which protects workers and covers enforcement of union contracts, excludes domestic workers and farmworkers. The Taft-Hartley Act, passed in 1947, weakened the National Labor Relations Act by allowing states to pass so-called “right-to-work” laws that crippled many unions’ ability to collect membership dues or negotiate contracts and gave states the ability to exclude public workers from collective bargaining protection. These laws, though passed around the country, are particularly widespread in the Southern states where black workers were concentrated. Jobs with Justice was proud to help organize an Excluded Workers Congress at the US Social Forum to discuss some of the issues and organizing efforts by workers who have no labor law protection.
Congratulations to the Domestic Workers Alliance on this inspiring victory that shows the power of organizing and solidarity!
[...] First-Ever Law Protecting Domestic Workers’ Rights Signed in New York [...]