Domestic workers want Social Security Board constituted

MARGAO
The Goa Domestic Workers Movement has demanded that the Goa government immediately constitute the Social Security Board and also recognise the domestic workers and include them in the Minimum Wage Act.

Women’s right activist Auda Viegas has extended support to the movement as she demanded the immediate constitution of the Social security board for the protection of rights of the domestic workers.

Domestic workers under the banner of Goa Domestic Workers Union took out a rally at the Margao Municipal garden to mark the International Descent Workers Day, which was celebrated on Saturday.

Addressing the media, the Administrative Coordinator of the Union, V Jasmin informed the large number of domestic workers brought to Goa by illegal agencies from the tribal states of Odisha and Jharkhand have been exploited by not complying with labour norms.

She said the workers are being exploited though they are contributing to the economy in a big way. “There is illegal supply of domestic workers to the state of Goa. There is no uniformity in their working conditions. They do not get the benefits, including maternity leave, elderly pension etc,” she said.

She said that Social Security Board had in 2008 recommended to the state government to set up state social welfare boards, but the recommendations have been confined to the record books.

While around 2,567 registered workers are registered with the Union, there are thousands of domestic workers, who are unregistered and do not enjoy the mandatory facilities.