Executive Summary
Introduction: Domestic work- strands in the debate:
The women’s movement internationally has underlined the struggle against the invisibility of women; women’s work, sexuality, needs, power, capacities and abilities, autonomy and much more. An important aspect of this was the critique of housework or domestic labour and the almost complete equation of women to domestic labour. The conflict between the employer and the employee of domestic work is in the public sphere of employment relations; the conflict regarding the gender division of labour is in the private sphere.

The modern context: With the decline in employment in the agricultural and industrial sector, almost all new employment is in the service sector. Owing to globalisation, for the vulnerable sections of women from poorer backgrounds and poorer economies, domestic work seems to be the last resort. This fact reinforces sexual division of labour within the world of work and of race, caste, class, poorer economies apart from gender as well.

2. General scenario of women workers in the context of globalisation:
There has been a much greater acceleration in the processes of informalisation of work in last two decades. Women are the majority of workers in the informalised economy. Some issues of serious concern, both to the women’s movement and to the labour movement are:

quantity, quality and lack of employment
issues of the working poor
pauperisation and vulnerability
migration, trafficking and sex work
increase in the service sector and of women in this sector
impact of political, ethnic and other conflicts on women
privatisation and loss of control over natural resources globalisation of cultural practices through consumerism organisational strategies and new alternatives

3. Women Domestic Workers In India:
In India, in ancient times, domestic work was largely performed by serfs belonging to the shudras, the so-called lower castes, who were denied access to education (especially denied to women).

Statistical profile: Reliable data about domestic workers in India is not available. According to the 1991 census, there were 576,000 women (58% of the total workers in this sector) engaged in the domestic services industry. An important invisible aspect of domestic workforce is child labour.

Education: Most domestic workers are illiterate or semi-literate. A survey in Pune found that most of them above the age of 30 were illiterate. Reasons for taking up domestic work are:

economic
single earner families
it is considered work in safe environment
non-marketable skills
flexible working hours.

Law: In 1959 a bill entitled the Domestic Workers (Condition of Services) The Bill was introduced but it has yet to be passed as an Act. Therefore, the domestic workers have no legal status.

4. Organisations Working with Domestic Workers - A Brief Sketch

Attempts at organising domestic workers have been going on for several decades and now involve:
forming trade unions
providing services
running employment schemes
legislative provisions and rights
The types of organizations involved in the effort have been:

1. Church-related organisations
2. Other NGOs
3. Existing Trade unions, both national and local
4. Women’s organisations.

Legal efforts by domestic workers organisations: Despite repeated incidents of abuse of various types coming to public notice, legislation has been scuttled for several decades. In 1994, several trade unions and NGOs in Maharashtra came together to campaign and demand for legislative protection.

Issues for organising domestic workers in several parts of the world have been:

union issues
formation of co-operatives
credit and savings groups
vocational training
social activities
employment exchanges
support services
places to congregate
crèches
legal and general advice
support during employers and family disputes

5. Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana, (Pune City Domestic Workers Organisation):

Pune, second largest city in the state of Maharashtra, is a well-developed industrial city. There has been an increase over the years of educated women occupying jobs in these industries and services. These same development processes give rise to
increased joblessness, migration, displacement of entire households, communities, villages and also increases in the number and proportion of women coming into informal employment. In Pune city (population 3.5 million), number of domestic workers is estimated to be in the region of 60,000 out of these 45,000 work in main city as per the 2001 census.

The Domestic Workers Movement in Pune: In 1980, a long-time domestic worker was terminated by her employer on the basis of absence due to illness and some domestic problems. The action of the employer infuriated the other domestic workers in the area. They went on a spontaneous strike against the dismissal. Lack of any improvement in wages, even when inflation was raging, had already raised their tempers and the above incident added fuel to fire. After the strikes, activists who were part of the left-oriented trade union and women’s organisations helped them to get organised into a team and then into a trade union. Thus was born the Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana.

In the initial phases of the strike and organising, women domestic workers had meetings every day. Often 500 - 600 women came for the meetings. The Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana raised demands that were of immediate importance for women. Marches were organised highlighting these demands. Wage increases of 30-40% for all, and the demand for one month’s pay as bonus once a year was realised in most cases.

In subsequent years there were strikes of domestic workers in various parts of the city. From1980 to 1996, strikes took place almost yearly in different parts of the city. A great deal of progress could be secured due to these collective actions. Rate cards delineating different rates for different types of work were agreed upon with employers. In addition, the organisation led marches and gave memorandums to Government officials and leaders. The Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana joined hands with a large organisation of unorganised workers and is now involved in campaigning and movements on a massive scale at state and national level.

Other Achievements of the Movement

Survival and vibrancy: The survival and vibrancy of the domestic workers organisation itself is a major achievement. One of the reasons for the strength of the movement has been the novel strategies adopted by the Sanghatana. It is an entirely membership based organisation, with all the resources coming from the domestic workers alone. The membership of the Sanghatana is over 3,000 and its reach is about 20,000 people. The membership fee is Rs.10/- per year.

Establishment of the Toiling Women’s Front: The Sanghatana is of the view that it is only the toiling sections of women who can carry the true message of women’s liberation. It is through their participation that the Sanghatana has been able to run a women’s counseling centre in Pune, which has so far handled over 15,000 cases of family problems.

Fight against Slumlords: Similarly, housing is an important issue and one in which there can be a great deal of exploitation from the landlord or the local mafia. In the early seventies, the domestic workers led a successful struggle against the power of the slumlords.

6. Crucial strategies of the Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana include:

Strategy of Organising
Building solidarity among the domestic workers
Solidarity with other movements
Negotiation strategy, both individual and collective
Assertion of rights and dignity at different levels - attempt to give agency to women in other aspects of their lives.
Reaching out strategy - harnessing community support
Media strategy
Federating
Networking
Participating in the wider movement for social change
Deepening understanding of the activists
Advocacy and Lobbying
Connecting with the women’s movement, in urban and rural areas

7. Conclusions and glimpses into the future:

1. Replicability and Sustainability: These include the general political turmoil and radicalisation nationally and internationally.
Combination of factors: This combination of factors seems extremely crucial in the sustenance of this movement. These include affiliation to larger organisations as well as the perspective of the leading organisation.

2. “For” or “With”: One major difference lies in whether the organisation works for domestic workers or with domestic workers and with what perspective. What is important is an organisation that builds on a perspective of active participation and control by domestic workers. This includes the recognition of the different needs of women in the informal economy vis-à-vis the union and the fluidity of women in this sector.

3. Some future directions: Domestic workers pervade the homes of all the middle class and upper class people. These are the very people who make laws and implement them. One step in order to begin to deal with these obstacles is to empower domestic workers so that they begin to take the leadership at the national level alliance.