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Type of practice
Summary
The migration of domestic workers to Thailand has increased over years. From 2014-2018 the number of domestic workers overall in Thailand increased 28 percent (ILO, forthcoming). Using the Informal Employment Survey in Thailand, ILO estimates there were 290,000 domestic workers in Thailand in 2018 (ILO, forthcoming). However due to the lack of recent official data on migrants in domestic work, the most recent estimate is that as of 2011 there were 150,000 migrant domestic workers. Most migrant domestic workers enter Thailand through irregular channels. A primary cause is that key countries of origin, i.e Myanmar and Lao PDR, do not yet have mechanisms that facilitate regular migration for domestic work. Unfortunately, the lack of migration-related documentation is coupled with a lack of labour protections for domestic workers in Thailand. In 2012, a Ministerial Regulation excluded domestic workers from several important provisions under the Labour Protection Act, including, importantly, minimum wage rules and provisions on normal working time.
HomeNet (or the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion) has been at the forefront of advocating for legal change, while simultaneously organizing workers and providing them with direct support and capacity building empowerment. Through HomeNet, in 2012 domestic workers founded the Network of Domestic Workers Thailand. With ILO’s support HomeNet and NDWT enhance migrant and Thai domestic workers’ advocacy capacity. Their current advocacy aims to increase legal protection and access to social protection, as well as ratification of ILO Convention No. 189. In partnership with employers of migrant and Thai domestic workers, HomeNet is also introducing and expanding the use of a code of conduct for employment of domestic workers and a standard employment contract. Finally, during COVID-19 HomeNet has been supporting migrant workers with counselling and is preparing to support new women’s groups as part of their on-the-ground organizing efforts.
Organizations
Main Implementing Organization(s)
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Benefit and Impact
In order to reach out to individual Thai and migrant domestic workers, HomeNet set up the Network of Domestic Workers in Thailand in 2012. Today, it has an active member base of around 450 migrant and Thai domestic workers, and engages over 1,000 members and non-members. The Network disseminates information and holds training sessions with its members on labour rights, social security, immigration policy, work permits, reproductive health, and – recently – COVID-19 safety. The Network’s use of Line and Facebook facilitate peer-to-peer networking and worker organizing. Being able to rely on mobile phones for information and contact with the outside world is especially crucial for workers whose ability to leave their workplace is limited. HomeNet also created the Smart Domestic Workers app to train a volunteer network of Thai and migrant domestic workers’ leaders to provide information and counselling directly to migrant domestic workers. HomeNet operates an ILO Migrant Worker Resource Centre, providing counselling and referrals (see other Good Practice submission).
See further in Innovation section.
Key Lessons
- Traditional workplace negotiations take place between a workers’ union and a body of employers. Unfortunately in domestic work employers are not organized. It remains difficult to find groups of employers willing to engage the Network. ILO’s constituent relationship with the Employers' Confederation of Thailand (ECOT), enabled ECOT’s engagement on the Code of Conduct and Standard Employment Contract. A broadening of public messaging outreach to upper and middle class Thais will reach persons likely to be employers.
- Engagement of diverse migrant communities can be a challenge. The Network has a strong base among Myanmar migrant workers, partly because Myanmar civil society in exile has a long history in Thailand. However, engaging Cambodian and Lao migrant domestic workers has been more difficult. HomeNet has plans to engage these groups near the Cambodian and Lao borders when COVID-19 internal travel restrictions lift.
- HomeNet realises that just because they are a women-dominant group focusing on a women-dominant sector does not mean that staff and Network members already know about feminism and women’s rights. HomeNet makes efforts to have discussions on women’s rights and feminism, and is planning for future dedicated trainings.
Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)
- Opportunities for cross-border collaboration between domestic workers networks in countries of origin and destination can build worker enthusiasm and the broader movement for domestic workers’ rights.
- Digital and online social media platforms expand reach to hidden workers. As more migrant and domestic workers in the region are becoming active on social media especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, networks of domestic workers can develop targeted communication strategies and online platforms.
Innovation
As the Thai demographic will continue to age, there will be a steadily increased demand for domestic workers to meet elder care demands in the labour market. HomeNet’s achievements in securing minimum wage and working hour coverage for domestic workers in the Thai Labour Law matters not only for domestic workers currently employed in Thailand, but for the projected increased numbers of workers in the sector in the future. The gains made in the Labour Law have galvanized HomeNet to now focus on inclusion of domestic workers, and migrants among them, in Thailand’s Social Security. Training of Network members and targeted advocacy to this end have begun.
As mentioned above, collective bargaining with employers is a challenge for domestic workers globally. HomeNet has had to innovate and regularly holds seminars with employers. It has also worked with employers through the Employers Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) to develop the Code of Conduct and Standard Employment Contract.
Further, and sustainably, the Network has raised funds from members to create a Justice Fund to assist members who have a case with their employer.
The Network’s organizing efforts have been laudable, and indeed are scalable, with room and plans to include more domestic workers and more from varying migrant nationalities. The pandemic and its accompanying travel restrictions must first lift, making outreach efforts safe and possible. Similar networks can be fostered in other countries of migrant destination.
Domestic workers continue to be among the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, losing more jobs and working hours than other sectors the ILO has found. In addition, women domestic workers have faced higher risk of violence and harassment when quarantined with their employers, neither party able to leave the house. HomeNet and its Network of Domestic Workers Thailand’s online outreach and referrals became crucial to support domestic workers with a combination of information, legal support and emergency assistance.
Additional Resources
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*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).