The most vulnerable I: home help workers and home

We started posting notes on the sectors most affected.

By Isa Ruíz

With the declaration of the state of alarm appeals from the government deepened the "Unit of employers and workers" , to the "Common efforts" Yet the "Civic responsibility" and others ridiculously reference "Patriotic values". The truth is that the degree of exposure to infection, efforts to stop the spread and, mainly, social consequences for Covid-19 does not affect everyone equally. Health workers and especially those who are required to continue to provide services are the most exposed. As they are also immigrants, women, laborers and workers in the field, the elderly who live alone or in nursing homes and many others. They are those who have mansions to face confinement, nor do they shop employees, they care for children or older relatives, These social sectors should be allocated major resources.

Since the state of alarm was decreed in the State Spanish, the different platforms Home Help Service (SAD) of all country, They are reporting that has not been activated any action protocol in the workplace and they are working without the required protective equipment. This being a sector highly exposed and working with people at risk, it is logical to act quickly and effectively so that they can perform their role safely, but on the contrary it is taking a drop of working by the authorities.

…It is not activated any action protocol in the workplace and they are working without the required protective equipment.

In these situations it is when we reflect on the dismantling of public services, as currently the home help service is managed private companies that have agreements with management in most cities and towns of the country. as we see, the result of this in times of crisis is dramatic and renders both working as user / a totally unprotected. Between social and labor measures the government has decreed that there is no specific for this group, the only without the right to strike and can be fired simply for lack of confidence, the call "Dismissal for withdrawal". The Executive was committed precisely to ratify the Convention 189 ILO gives more rights to employees of the home, claim for which they have been fighting for a long, but not only does not fulfill that commitment, but in the current situation leaves these workers.

Carolina Elias, President of the Association Active Domestic Services (Sedoac) points: “It is a great disappointment of a progressive government that is said. They know that this is a vulnerable sector is providing a very important job”(…) “We are asking all and all we put our bit, what can not be is that a sector so we keep asking Precarious overexertion and continue regardless or the state or society. How are we going to make ends meet? This is poverty for many women”.

It is also necessary note that within the scope of care there are different conditions labor and situations. Domestic workers or home workers hired by the families they are still most vulnerable, since in many cases women who do these jobs are undocumented migrants and habitual that no labor contract. In these cases, They are occurring Closure situations working in the house of employers no right to leave to be with their families for fear of being fired.

…we must reflect on the dismantling of public services…

To end this problem should listen to the workers themselves who are tirelessly denouncing the situation and demanding that they provide necessary protective equipment for them and thus, also for the people who are in direct contact. further, They are seeking solutions administrations and the minimum services decree that reconcile the security service workers.

Enough to appeal disproportionately a civic responsibility while leaving different sectors and protect the profits of large companies in the country with public funds. Enough of social discipline to ask people not to get on the road while you are forcing workers to come to the job without any security. He '' Progressive coalition government ' are putting the interests of the capitalists and the IBEX 35 over labor rights of the whole population and, as we can see, the most vulnerable and precarious sectors are totally unprotected.