United Domestic Workers of the Philippines

Himaya Montenegro

Labor Education and Research Network

12 August 2016

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Outline of Presentation

1 Introduction

2 UNITED

3 Advocacies

4 Strategies

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Introduction

Introduction

For the longest time, domestic work has been one of the invisible segmentsof the labor market.

Perhaps the earliest attempt to formalize domestic work was done by theILO in 1951 when it defined the nature of the work. Despite thispronouncement, domestic workers are still viewed differently from typicalworkers in an employer-employee relationship.

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Introduction

In the Philippines, domestic workers are not treated the same way as otherworkers.

In the past, domestic workers, then called domestic helpers, wereconsidered one of the special groups of workers in the Labor Code.

The labor code provision on domestic workers was later amended with theenactment of the Batas Kasambahay, however, this still implies thatdomestic work is still viewed differently from other types of work.

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UNITED

United Domestic Workers of the Philippines

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UNITED

UNITED

The United Domestic Workers ofthe Philippines, or UNITED, is a na-tional union of domestic workers in thePhilippines. Its local chapters are or-ganized at barangay level nationwide.

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UNITED

The Labor Education and Re-search Network (LEARN) startedorganizing domestic workers in MetroManila in 2012.

The purpose of organizing ofdomestic workers at that time was tomobilize the domestic workers for theratification by the Philippines of theILO Convention 189 Decent Workfor Domestic Workers, and for thepassage of the Kasambahay Bill intolaw.

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UNITED

United started out as an informal savings association of a number of 74domestic workers.

By 2013, its membership grew to 273.

LEARN, at this time, has started to organize local chapters in the villagesor barangays.

UNITED was formally launched as a national organization of domesticworkers on the 26th of April, 2015, in Quezon City.

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Advocacies

The UNITED has the following purposes:

To organizing a democratic national union of domestic workers in thePhilippines that empower them to claim and protect their rights asworkers

To help enhance the skills and knowledge of domestic workers thatshould help them improve their lives

To educate local and migrant domestic workers

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Strategies

Strategies

United has the following programs:

Organizing. To gather , educate , strengthen the comradeship and tofight decent work for domestic workers. Also to expand anddevelop new leaders that are capable to speak issues ofdomestic workers.

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Strategies

Political engagement. United engages local government units, relevantgovernment agencies, private organizations to help developits capacityto carry out its organizational purposes.It alsobuilds alliances and linkages with national and internationallabor unions to enable itself to build its strength and power.

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Strategies

Livelihood and socio-economic programs. These include occupationalskills development, creation of cooperatives/damayan andinsurance schemes for domestic workers.

Collective bargaining and dialogues. United will represent domesticworkers in bargaining and dialogues with employers’ andhomeowners’ associations on setting standards at work.

Workers’ education and training. United conducts continuous trainingsto educate domestic workers about the labor movement ingeneral.

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Strategies

Legal and paralegal trainings These trainings seek to enhance theknowledge of domestic workers about labor and other lawsthat are relevant for the protection of their rights.

Gender program. United ensures that domestic workers are aware oftheir rights as women and to protect them from all forms ofviolence against women and children.

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Strategies

Thank you

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