The new service for domestic “maids” offered by the Urban Company which “promises” to make available domestic services within 15 minutes for Rs 49 per hour is yet another example of the continuing exploitation and dehumanization of paid domestic workers in our country.

It is well known that such platforms charge a commission to the workers, which successively increases over time, leading to severe exploitation of such ‘gig’ workers. It is therefore unlikely that workers will get even the amount that has been advertised as the cost to the customer, which in any case is far below the minimum wages of at least Rs. 100 per hour that CITU has been demanding for some time now. The issue of safety at the customers’ homes is critical especially when several other women providing beauty and other services by such platforms have complained of sexual harassment. It should be noted that these companies continue to flout the law of the land and refuse to implement the POSH Act by falsely claiming to be ‘aggregators’ and not employers.

We strongly condemn the pejorative term “maid” that has been used by the Urban Company. It shows its arrogance and wilful ignorance of the long–drawn struggles, both national and international, of domestic workers, against stigmatization and for their dignity and status as workers. We also condemn the manner in which domestic workers are stereotyped as lazy, unreliable and take leave without notice, ignoring the reality of their miserable working and living conditions.

Platform based domestic services is not a new concept in our country. However, the entry of Urban Company brings with it the power and clout of a corporate entity that will not only exploit the workers, but also make profits on the data that it will mine on the basis of consumers’ preferences, and the advertising revenue it will earn in the process. It is argued that the conversion of domestic workers into “gig workers” will lead to the formalization and visibilisation of the sector, enable their registration and regulate their tasks. CITU believes that it will mainly lead to further exploitation of a section that is already working in sub-human conditions. Formalization and registration should be achieved by a comprehensive law that will protect domestic workers, ensure index linked minimum wages and a weekly off, regulate working hours, and provide earned leave, bonus, and social security benefits such as pensions, health and life insurance. This law should protect the vast majority of domestic workers in this country are the live out (so called ‘part time’) women workers, many of whom are barely literate and do not own a smart phone. They work at pitiful wages and are subject to exploitation, caste and religious discrimination and physical and sexual abuse.

It is ironical that the service has been launched just when the Supreme Court has recently, suo moto commented on the vulnerability of domestic workers and the non-regulation of this crucial sector that employs lakhs of workers, primarily women. We call upon the Government of India to take heed of this order and take steps to enact a comprehensive law that will regulate the working conditions of domestic workers and accord them their legitimate rights as workers. We also call upon the Urban Company to withdraw the term ‘maid’, and pay their workers minimum wages, social security and ensure their safety at the work place. 

AICCDW (CITU) will intensify its struggles for the long pending demands of domestic workers for a life of dignity. We call upon the domestic workers throughout the country to unionise and fight the exploitation and discrimination they face on an everyday basis.

Issued by
Kiran Moghe
Convenor