New York Sets Precedent in Extending Labor Rights to Nannies

Domestic workers have been excluded from basic labor protections almost all other workers enjoy since the 1930 National Labor Relations Act decided that, eh, they can go ahead and fend for themselves. Not surprisingly, most domestic workers are immigrants, minorities, and women — the people most likely to be screwed over by the system. But New York has set a shining new precedent of extending labor rights to domestic workers, with Gov. David Paterson making it official last week when he signed their very own bill of rights.

In New York, a whopping 99% of domestic workers are immigrants, so it's obvious why this is a major immigrant rights issue and victory. Some of the basic provisions domestic workers such as nannies and home care professionals are now entitled to include overtime pay, a single day of rest each week, three vacation days, protection against sexual and racial harassment, and unionizing rights. Those are very, very basic provisions that all workers should have at the barest minimum, but for domestic workers, these changes are monumental. They actually get a whole day off each week, or they have to be compensated overtime for it? Groundbreaking.

As Brittany Shoot pointed out back in June when the New York State Senate passed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, California is considering a bill to provide similar protections to residents of their state. First New York, then California, then the country? Gov. Paterson commented upon signing the bill, "I profoundly hope that New York's efforts in this area will serve as a national model, and remove the exclusions which have wrongly applied to this class of workers for too long." To help get the ball to labor justice for domestic workers countrywide rolling, please sign the petition asking California to pass its own domestic workers bill of rights immediately.

Photo credit: surlygirl