Latin American migrants fly the flag for the rights of domestic workers in Spain

The situation of domestic workers in Spain, many of whom are of Latin American origin, has improved in recent years, especially with the regularization of their trade, however, it is still far from what, according to many employees and organizations, should be.

Of the 585,000 domestic workers who live in Spain, only 420,000 are affiliated with Social Security, according to the Active Population Survey (EPA) of the National Institute of Statistics, which means that more than 30% of this sector does not have a contract that stipulates their working conditions, does not have access to Public Health and is not contributing to Social Security so that, in the future, they can enjoy a retirement.

In Spain, a domestic worker who works 40 hours a week earns the Minimum Interprofessional Wage of 1,166 euros (1,270 US dollars). The average price of leases in the country stands at 11.03 euros (12 dollars) per square meter per month – 880 euros (960 dollars) for an 80-square-meter apartment, according to the real estate portal photohouse. Many migrants, who also have to send money to their families in their countries of origin, barely have enough to live on.

Day of celebration and claim

On March 30, groups of women domestic workers throughout the country, many of them Latin American migrants, raised their voices to demand that their work -which they consider essential for societies to advance- be dignified and their rights guaranteed. “We want to be recognized for the illnesses that domestic workers and caregivers have,” she told the voice of america Dominican Rafaela Pimentel, spokesperson for Territorio Doméstico, a group created in 2006 by migrant women that defends the rights of this sector.

From Domestic Territory, made up of 99 women, 97 of them migrants and the vast majority of them Central and South American, they organized rallies in public spaces to commemorate their day, assuring that “in addition to celebrating it is a date of vindication,” as he told the VOA Mexican social anthropologist Aracelis Sánchez.

“It is what sustains everyone, if there is no one to clean, if there is no one to take care of, no one else could work,” said Sánchez, who upon arriving in Spain 15 years ago had to put his profession aside to dedicate himself to domestic work.

The “territories”, as they call themselves, ask that illnesses acquired by carrying out their work be recognized as professionals in order to have the possibility of taking sick leave due to disability without fear of being fired.

Among its main physical wear and tear are the effects on the back, knees and hands, particularly tendons and the carpal tunnel. In the case of Bertha Aj Álvarez, from Guatemala, her wear and tear was mental, and after being disabled due to depression, she lost her job during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I went to the doctor and he fired me, I went home for 8 days, but after 8 days my bosses fired me,” he told the VOA.

“These tools do not move alone, they are moved by people”, is their motto this year. To the rhythm of songs and dances typical of Latin culture, such as cumbia and salsa, the migrants who have found a livelihood for themselves and their families in their country of origin in domestic employment and care for dependent people, wear wigs and glasses during their demonstrations because in this way, those who are in an irregular migratory condition feel safer.

the fight continues

Among the advances that domestic workers have achieved, the ratification of ILO Convention 189 by the Spanish government stands out, which, among other issues, recognizes the right to unemployment benefits, and the disappearance of sudden dismissals. In addition, last year they gathered, together with other groups, some 500,000 signatures for the popular legislative initiative in favor of an extraordinary regularization for almost half a million migrants, which is currently being debated in the Congress of Deputies. Despite this, the activists admit that much remains to be done to claim some rights.

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