Istanbul-Women of the IMECE Domestic Workers’ Union gathered in front of Süreyya Opera House located in Istanbul’s Kadıköy at 19.00 on the occasion of the International Domestic Workers Day annually celebrated on June 16. Female domestic workers stated that there are more than 1 million domestic workers in Turkey and that almost all of them work informally.

Yıldız Ay and Zeynep Ayvalıtaş read a statement in the behalf of the IMECE Domestic Workers’ Union and they emphasized that domestic workers are employed without any social security and that their union will keep working to establish professional standards for domestic workers. “We witnessed that dozens of domestic workers lost their lives by falling from the window. Some of our friends have to hold on to life as disabled people.  Most of them have suffered from many occupational diseases such as meniscus, herniated disc, asthma, and allergies,” they said.

Two women mentioned the difficulties faced by female domestic workers particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic and they emphasized that the living and work conditions of domestic workers have become more insecure and that most female domestic workers lost their jobs while fighting the coronavirus. They also stated that Turkey hasn’t yet signed ILO Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (Domestic Workers Convention -C 189).

“We demand social security”

After the statement, the women read their demands:

 

·         Domestic workers should be included in the national labor laws!

·         ILO Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers should be signed!

·         Domestic workers should be granted social security and right to a pension!

·         Personal protective equipment should be provided for domestic workers to protect themselves from occupational accidents and Covid-19.

·         Unemployment benefit services should be expanded to include domestic workers.

·         Domestic workers should be protected by laws.

·         Working conditions of migrant domestic workers should be improved!