All about Domestic Workers in Zambia, Domestic Workers and the Labour Laws and Minimum Wages in Zambia, Domestic Workers and Salaries in Zambia and more on Mywage Zambia.
By Meluse Kapatamoyo
The year 2011, has been an historic one for domestic workers in Zambia. In January, the government introduced the Domestic Workers Statutory Instrument (S1 3, 2011) and later in June, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) approved the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers.
In an interview with MyWage Zambia, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia (UHDWUZ) president Kevin Liywali noted the progress and challenges recorded in the sector.
Overview
"The union has experienced a lot of positive things this year. Not only did government approve the SI 13 for domestic workers, ILO in June also approved the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers. This is a milestone benchmark in that domestic work differs from other types of work in many respects. Workers have limited bargaining power as they are an “invisible” and isolated workforce working in a home, with no peer workers to turn to for support, solidarity or guidance on what is to be considered a reasonable request or unacceptable treatment. Most employers take advantage of that privacy to exploit our members."
Progress
"With help from cooperate partners such as ILO and the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE), progress has been made. We worked with ZFE in developing the Code of Conduct for Employers of Domestic Workers. We even conducted research on maid centres so as to understand how they operate in terms of recruiting and training of domestic workers before they are sent out to prospective employers. With ILO, even before the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers was announced, the organisation has been providing financial assistance for awareness campaigns. So far, the organisation has conducted campaigns in four of the five areas that were targeted."
Awareness campaigns
"During campaigns which are conducted on Sunday afternoons, a day and time when workers are off work, the union educates members about their rights and the union’s activities in addition to any other legislature pertaining to domestic work. In most areas where UHDWUZ has conducted its campaigns, 70 percent of the people did not have information on the ILO Convention, the SI 13, human trafficking and child labour. The organisation has also been able to recruit 326 domestic workers."
Challenges
"While we commend government on the SI, there are a lot of gaps that need to be addressed for example, maternity leave. While the instrument allows maternity leave, it takes away the employee’s salary and other privileges.
- The Minimum Wage which currently stands at K250, 000 but totals to K352, 000 with an addition of transport allowance is still very low.
- Working hours for most domestic workers is at the mercy of their employers. Many have to wait for their employers to get home from work before they can leave which is usually after 18: 00 hours.
- Most employers of domestic workers in Zambia employ verbally. There is no written document detailing the employees’ job description and conditions of service.
- Many employers do not recognise the need for domestic workers to belong to a trade union and make contributions, which leaves the union in a financial limbo when it comes to organising activities. Membership is K5, 000 monthly. Current membership stands at 2, 130 but the number fluctuates on the number of people being dismissed and hired."
2012 Plan
"Funds allowing, UHDWUZ intends to roll-out its awareness campaigns into other provinces to capture thousands of domestic workers still lacking information on decent work.
Other advocacy strategies on the cards for 2012 include the establishment of a Domestic Workers Day, effective operationalisation of the SI 13, 2011, effective regulation of maid agencies/maid centres and establishment of a complaint mechanism through the introduction of a domestic workers desk in the labour commissioner’s desk."
Read more
A Domestic Worker Speaks Out about her job.