The (Non)regulation of Domestic Work in the Netherlands

1. The (Non)regulation of Domestic Work in the Netherlands Sarah van Walsum VU University Amsterdam s.k.walsum@rechten.vu.nl

2. Outline • Three perspectives: 1: MDW’s: impact of residence status • documented and undocumented domestic workers in Amsterdam 2: Trade Unions: combatting precarious work • Paid household services in the Netherlands: 3: Dutch state: resolving contradictory aims • A policy of denial • Current trends in Dutch labour migration policies • Possibilities and pitfalls

3. Migrant Domestic Workers:impact of residence status • Research population: Filipinos & Ghanaians • Research method: (indirect) interviews • Findings: • Relevance immigrant status can differ • Negotiating initial contract with employer: • Gender & race > immigrant status • Developing employment relationship : • Status > social exclusion >dependency • Undocumented Ghanaians: employer = income • Undocumented Filipinos: employers > housing, health care, visa for family, bank account etc. = patron/client

4. Trade Unions:Precarious work in care sector • Household services = precarious work • Anyone outsourcing any form of work in the home • For three days a week or less • Is exempt from paying social premiums and deducting taxes and from dismissal permit requirement • Home-based care for elderly; children; household maintenance • health care centres; host parent centres; cleaning companies: brokers or employers? • marginalisation > racialisation declared labour? • Increasing significance of (undocumented) migrants on (growing) market for undeclared work

5. Dutch state: resolving contradictory aims > a policy of denial • Contradictory aims: • Engage high skilled women more fully in paid labour • Cut costs of (elderly) care > “caring citizens” • “emancipate” ethnic minority women thru precarious work • Policy of denial • Admitting MDW via (quasi) family ties • Silent collusion with (illegal) employment undeclared migrant labour

6. Current trends in Dutch labour migration policies • Current labour migration policy: • High salaried workers: employer manages migration • Low salaried workers: Ministry of labour manages migration • self-employed with high capital assests: self-managed • Proposal for “Modern Migration Policy” • Universal application of sponsor managed migration

7. Possibilities & Pitfalls I“Care broker” as sponsor • Possibilities: • Employment permit dependent on track record sponsor; not situation Dutch labour market> expand scope regular employment to include “low-skilled” migrants • Pitfalls: • Migration control via “care broker” > restricted freedoms • How to compete with undeclared labour? • Tax rebates? • Quasi self-employment?

8. Possibilities & Pitfalls IICircular Migration • Possibilities: • alternative for current practice of irregularly employed migrant labour > legal residence for “low skilled” migrant workers • Pitfalls: • complete dependency vis a vis employer (housing & medical care) • Exclusion from permanent residence • No claim to family reunification

9. Thank you! Merci!

10. Looking forward • Rethinking the public/private divide • Rethinking the nature of employment relationships • Rethinking citizenship • Themes to explore? • Networks and relational concepts of belonging • Transnationalism and glocal strategies for organising care and financial security • Decentring the nation state in democratic decision-making processes