NTUCB Launches Drive to Register Domestic Workers Nationwide

The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) is calling on domestic workers across the country to register in a new database that the organization is seeking to establish.  The effort is part of a broader push to strengthen the recognition and protection of domestic workers in Belize. While the country has not yet ratified the International Labour Organization’s Convention 189, which sets international standards for decent work for domestic workers, the NTUCB says building a proper registry is an important first step.

The union says the database will help provide a clearer picture of the number of people working in private homes and the kinds of work they perform. It is also expected to help lay the groundwork for advocacy aimed at getting Belize to ratify Convention 189.  NTUCB President Ella Waight says the organization has been in dialogue with the International Labour Organization to ensure the process is carried out properly and in a way that can support future lobbying efforts.

Waight says domestic workers include people employed in private households to carry out duties such as cleaning, cooking, washing, childcare, gardening, driving or caring for elderly and vulnerable persons. She says the registry is open to both Belizeans and migrant workers, since all domestic workers deserve to be recognized and included in the discussion about their rights and working conditions.

ILO Convention 189 is an international labour agreement focused on protecting domestic workers, including housekeepers, nannies, cooks, caregivers, gardeners and others employed in private homes.  It calls on countries that ratify it to ensure domestic workers receive fair treatment, including clear terms of employment, reasonable working hours, rest periods, minimum-wage protection where applicable, social security coverage, protection from abuse and harassment, and safe working conditions.  The convention also recognizes that domestic workers should have the right to join unions and negotiate collectively. It applies to both local and migrant domestic workers, with added protections intended to prevent exploitation of workers recruited from abroad./