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THE AU PAIR RIGHTS Association of Ireland has welcomed the government’s decision to ratify the Domestic Workers Convention, saying that it’s important that the rights of au pairs are recognised.
Convention (No. 189), which sets down provisions for the protection of domestic workers’ rights, was adopted by the UN’s International Labour Organisation in 2011 and due to come into force from September 2013. The Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton announced the Irish government’s decision to ratify the ILO Convention yesterday.
Commenting on the announcement, Jane Xavier of the Au pair Rights Association of Ireland said that au pair work in Ireland has become synonymous with cheap childcare, leading to exploitation:
There is a perception that au pairs are not real workers, but au pairs are doing real and essential work: they are caring for children and adults, they have schedules and responsibilities, and they need training and qualifications in order to provide safe childcare. However, simply because they are called ‘au pairs’ they are afforded no rights: no holidays, no sick leave, paid a fraction of the minimum wage.”
She added that the ARAI had been contacted by au pairs “who were never paid, required to be on call all night, made to share a bed with babies or children, underfed, overworked, humiliated and even sexually harassed.”
Xavier said the Convention shows that Ireland recognises the importance of work done in private homes.
The Convention, which applies to all domestic workers, defines domestic work as “work Nperformed in or for a household or households”, while a domestic worker is “a person employed to do domestic work”.
Minister Richard Bruton said the decision to ratify the Convention “shows a strong commitment on the part of Ireland to the protection of the rights of domestic workers”.
The National Employment Rights Authority has launched an information booklet for domestic workers in Ireland. The organisation says that regardless of job titles, such as ‘au pair’, or arrangements agreed between domestic workers and their employers, a person working in a home remains an employee under Irish law.
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So a no-deal Brexit would be bad for the economy but so would an orderly Brexit. And does anyone really believe that inflation is only 1 percent per annum in this country? I assume the Central Bank guy is not renting accommodation or paying crèche fees.
@Earth Traveller: yes…inflation is low. Are any of your day to day products in a basket of goods going up?
@Earth Traveller: yes…inflation is low. Are any of your day to day products in a basket of goods going up? Competition is driving retail prices down. The majority of people own their homes and interest rates are dropping…
@joe: yes they absolutely are
More tax from FFG …
Our central banks “expert” analysis seems to be to look at the current number and then add a little bit onto that!
And aren’t we all so lucky that FFG never brought us to the brink of recession!
Its always somebody else’s fault, brexit, or the financial crash, or the butterfly that flapped its wings the wrong way in brazil, its never the fault of the useless idiots in dail eireann.
We need to stand up stop thinking about how bad it will be without England financially and start thinking about Irish unity and how it will benefit us as a nation of course if won’t benefit us straight away but a few years down the line it will. Those figures the central bank send out I would take them with a grain of salt .Time to stop moaning and get on with it.
@Donal Carey: what if the vote goes the other way ,what then and it is likely to do that as the uncertainty that is around the corner
@Donal Carey: we really don’t want or need that money pit!
@FlopFlipU: Negative everything points to a United Ire and it’s about time
Once northern Ireland see how britain has betrayed them, it will a work itself out.
What will they use to scare us with when its all sorted.
Is this the same regulator that predicted a soft landing at the height of the Celtic tiger?
The banks will be a great help to struggling people. They give you an umbrella when the sun is out, then take it off you when it’s raining
Scare mungering again like 12 years ago
@Joseph Molloy:
You may have missed it, but 12 years ago the proverbial muck hit the fan in this country like never before and we’re still suffering the consequences. Where exactly do you see the scaremongering?
Brexit won’t happen. English are stupid alright but not economically suicidal. London is the powerhouse and voted remain. Money talks.
have your say