Hong Kong plays host to hundreds of thousands of female migrant domestic workers, who have become an integral part of the local economy and a common sight in households. Despite their importance, their live-in status continues to place migrant domestic workers at a disadvantaged position in their host society and at the mercy of their employers. Articles about the exploitation and abuse of migrant domestic workers are commonplace in Hong Kong news, and in many cases the victims are Indonesian. At the same time, however, stories about migrant domestic workers who are treated very well and given large amounts of freedom have also been featured, but these cases are generally about Filipinos. Despite being the same gender, having the same occupation and being subject to the same set of laws, a discrepancy exists in the treatment of Indonesian and Philippine migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. The main aim of this thesis is to unravel the underlying reasons behind this difference. I argue that the systematic advertising and perpetuation of nationality-based stereotypes and “brand images” lead to Philippine migrant domestic workers being valued higher than their Indonesian counterparts, impacting how they are perceived and treated by Hong Kong society. I employ empirical data obtained from international organizations, state governments, public media and the findings of earlier scholarly research to show how these following factors establish and maintain Hong Kong’s system of stratification: migration infrastructure impacting the labor migration corridors connecting Indonesia and the Philippines to Hong Kong, laws that dictate the treatment of migrant domestic workers, the actors involved in creating and maintaining stereotypes and “brand images”, and the respective efforts made by the two migrant worker groups at challenging their disadvantaged positions in Hong Kong society. / Graduate

The main objective of this bachelor thesis is to analyse the dynamic and complex decision-making process that households with temporary overseas migrating family members do before migrating. The aim of this thesis is to understand why this phenomenon occurs in less developed areas, though the background of the thesis is trying to address the need of positive relationship between migration and development. Based on the theorectical benchmark of neoclassical microeconomic theory and new economics of labour migration theory certain factors were identified that could influence the decision to migrate. By using a mixed method with qualitative semi-structed face-to-face interviews combined with a survey of nine question relating to specific factors this study was able to create an understanding of the reality of migrant households, though a micro field study was conducted in Kebumen regency in Indonesia. The findings clearly shows that temporary overseas migration from less developed areas is a household decision that is influenced by local gender aspects and addressed by new well-functioning established markets for overseas work. Our findings also suggests that temporary migration is a way for the family to spread their risks, related to income and farming activites, and to achive further development, where other markets and institutions do not meet their needs. Policies regarding these gender aspects and the need of institutions that could improve the situation are recommended though remittances in that case might have a more long-term sustainable impact on the households.

No description available.

No description available.

Although many workers have a private household as their workplace, many household employers are unaware of or fail to meet their state and federal payroll tax obligations, thus undermining the workers’ retirement income security. This dissertation uses sixty interviews with household employers and employees in the Washington, DC, area to investigate the causes and conditions of nanny tax evasion. Ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviews indicate that lack of awareness, tax complexity, social norms of noncompliance, and poor personal ethics diminish payroll tax payment; concern over one’s job, personal ethics and altruistic concern for the employee motivate compliance. An analysis of limited IRS data on audits as well as data on Schedule H household employment payroll tax returns reveal that although some unpaid tax was discovered, almost as much tax paid in error was refunded, confirming the importance of complexity as a determinant of compliance. Analysis of results using Kohlberg’s stages of moral development and force field analysis of motives provides insight into employers’ decisions to pay or evade their nanny taxes. Policy recommendations emphasize increasing public awareness, tax simplification, and enforcement.

Some Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have been experiencing economic growth which, in its turn have been stimulating migrant workers, mainly un-skilled, to migrate into those countries. The present paper tries to examine the human rights violations of domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore which are occurring in the form of modern servitude or servitude. Moreover, the paper also tries to elaborate the working conditions of foreign domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore. The present paper is using human rights coupled with intersectionality theories in order to examine whether enacted migration policies in Malaysia and Singapore in relation to migrant workers, though migration policies imposed to domestic workers are aimed to fulfill the national interests, can be regarded as a form of modern slavery or servitude . The present thesis is a case study which is examined by elaborating numerous literatures regarding the working conditions of foreign domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore. The factual conditions of domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore, namely the conditions and policies concerning the limitation of several rights of domestic workers will be described and analyzed under the human rights coupled with intersectionality perspectives.

This dissertation examines collaborations between the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and non-union elements of global civil society (GCS). GCS is presented as a crucial emergent site of transnational class formation, and ITUC collaborations within this field are treated as potentially important moments in transnational class formation. The goal of the dissertation is threefold. It seeks to 1) address the lacuna in GCS studies around the involvement of organized labour; 2) provide an analysis of what ITUC GCS collaborations mean for the remit and repertoire of action of the ITUC; and 3) provide an analysis of the impact of ITUC collaborations on transnational class formation. What the findings show is that the ITUC is heavily engaged in GCS through numerous collaborations with non-union organizations concerned with environmental degradation, human rights, global economic inequality, and women workers. Most significantly, collaboration within GCS has provided the ITUC an avenue to incorporate the needs of marginalized women workers whose work does not “fit” into the traditional model of trade union organizing. These findings lead to the conclusion that these collaborations have allowed the ITUC to expand the remit of its activities beyond “bread-and-butter” unionism, and expand its repertoire of action beyond interstate diplomacy. However, the findings do not support the idea that the ITUC has adopted a social movement framework, although it is clear that the ethos of social movement unionism has had an impact on the organization. Nonetheless, the dissertation concludes that the incorporation of marginalized women workers, and the active engagement of the ITUC in global environmental policy debates, signifies a new moment in transnational class formation. / Graduate / 0629 / 0703 / davidbhuxtable@gmail.com

Globally the domestic worker sector is characterised by a sense of “voicelessness”—an esoteric silence fuelled by a dire need to survive. South Africa is heralded as a global ambassador for the rights of these women. Significant sectoral reforms in recent years regulate the transactional element of this employment relationship through stipulated minimum wages and employment standards. The relational element of this engagement, however, remains underexplored. A decade of global scholarship detailing the hardships that characterise this sector has helped to uncover the plight of domestic workers. The study provided the participants with an opportunity to express their experiences and feelings, and the documented findings will hopefully stimulate more scholarly debate on this issue. It is hoped that the study will engender more sensitivity towards the needs of this vulnerable group of workers and promote positive employment relations within the South African labour market. The study describes the lived realities of domestic workers within the South African labour legislative context through five separate but interrelated journal articles. Article 1 provides a detailed “plan of action” that documents the initial considerations and rationale for the study. Guided by existing scholarly discourse, the research questions are highlighted and the proposed research design is presented. Issues related to trustworthiness are debated. This article constitutes the research proposal that was submitted during the initial phase of this research journey. Article 2 presents a transparent account of the methodological considerations that guided the co-construction of meaning within the South African domestic worker sector. Situated within the interpretivist paradigm, with phenomenology as theoretical underpinning, purposive respondent-driven self-sampling resulted in the recruitment of 20 female participants. All of them can be described as domestic workers in terms of Sectoral Determination 7. The pilot study indicated the value of using metaphors while exploring tentative topics. An interview guide facilitated the exploration of key concepts during our engagement. Rich, dense descriptive verbatim accounts of participants’ lived realities confirmed data saturation. In-depth interviews were transcribed and analysed through an inductive process of data reduction. Emanating themes confirmed that the South African domestic workers sector is far from being voiceless if we are only willing to listen. Making these voices heard constitutes a progressive step in future efforts to empower this neglected sector of the labour market. In article 3 a life-cycle approach is used to explore participants’ lived experiences of their work-life cycle. Each individual progresses through these various phases which are contextualised as a transitional process as a result of their unique circumstances and personal trajectory. Findings confirmed the existence of an institutionalised culture of engagement within the sector perpetuated from one generation to the next. Attempts to exit the sector are unsuccessful due in part to their limited formal education and skills repertoire. The article concludes with the notion that domestic workers are trapped within a never-ending cycle of sectoral engagement, and the possibility of exiting the sector remains “but a dream” for many. Article 4 focusses on the reciprocal interpersonal relatedness that often develops due to the prolonged engagement within the individualised sectoral employment context. Characterised by caring and connectedness, this mutually dignified treatment not only signals but also enhances human flourishing. Participants’ accounts of relational reciprocity are indicative of the enactment of cardinal Ubuntu principles within the employment context. The need for actions that surpass the “letter of the law” in order to enhance flourishing within the South African domestic worker sector is advocated. Article 5 explores the role that legislative awareness fulfils in the everyday lives of domestic workers. Findings indicated that empowerment was an unknown construct for all participants. The participants had little or no confidence in engaging their employers on employment issues; this was due in part to their limited legislative awareness. Domestic workers should thus take ownership of their own empowerment efforts. This will sanction their right to assert their expectations of employment standards with confidence and make use of the judicial system to bring about compliant action. The article concluded with the notion that legislative awareness can result in empowered actions though informed employee voices. / PhD (Labour Relations Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Globally the domestic worker sector is characterised by a sense of “voicelessness”—an esoteric silence fuelled by a dire need to survive. South Africa is heralded as a global ambassador for the rights of these women. Significant sectoral reforms in recent years regulate the transactional element of this employment relationship through stipulated minimum wages and employment standards. The relational element of this engagement, however, remains underexplored. A decade of global scholarship detailing the hardships that characterise this sector has helped to uncover the plight of domestic workers. The study provided the participants with an opportunity to express their experiences and feelings, and the documented findings will hopefully stimulate more scholarly debate on this issue. It is hoped that the study will engender more sensitivity towards the needs of this vulnerable group of workers and promote positive employment relations within the South African labour market. The study describes the lived realities of domestic workers within the South African labour legislative context through five separate but interrelated journal articles. Article 1 provides a detailed “plan of action” that documents the initial considerations and rationale for the study. Guided by existing scholarly discourse, the research questions are highlighted and the proposed research design is presented. Issues related to trustworthiness are debated. This article constitutes the research proposal that was submitted during the initial phase of this research journey. Article 2 presents a transparent account of the methodological considerations that guided the co-construction of meaning within the South African domestic worker sector. Situated within the interpretivist paradigm, with phenomenology as theoretical underpinning, purposive respondent-driven self-sampling resulted in the recruitment of 20 female participants. All of them can be described as domestic workers in terms of Sectoral Determination 7. The pilot study indicated the value of using metaphors while exploring tentative topics. An interview guide facilitated the exploration of key concepts during our engagement. Rich, dense descriptive verbatim accounts of participants’ lived realities confirmed data saturation. In-depth interviews were transcribed and analysed through an inductive process of data reduction. Emanating themes confirmed that the South African domestic workers sector is far from being voiceless if we are only willing to listen. Making these voices heard constitutes a progressive step in future efforts to empower this neglected sector of the labour market. In article 3 a life-cycle approach is used to explore participants’ lived experiences of their work-life cycle. Each individual progresses through these various phases which are contextualised as a transitional process as a result of their unique circumstances and personal trajectory. Findings confirmed the existence of an institutionalised culture of engagement within the sector perpetuated from one generation to the next. Attempts to exit the sector are unsuccessful due in part to their limited formal education and skills repertoire. The article concludes with the notion that domestic workers are trapped within a never-ending cycle of sectoral engagement, and the possibility of exiting the sector remains “but a dream” for many. Article 4 focusses on the reciprocal interpersonal relatedness that often develops due to the prolonged engagement within the individualised sectoral employment context. Characterised by caring and connectedness, this mutually dignified treatment not only signals but also enhances human flourishing. Participants’ accounts of relational reciprocity are indicative of the enactment of cardinal Ubuntu principles within the employment context. The need for actions that surpass the “letter of the law” in order to enhance flourishing within the South African domestic worker sector is advocated. Article 5 explores the role that legislative awareness fulfils in the everyday lives of domestic workers. Findings indicated that empowerment was an unknown construct for all participants. The participants had little or no confidence in engaging their employers on employment issues; this was due in part to their limited legislative awareness. Domestic workers should thus take ownership of their own empowerment efforts. This will sanction their right to assert their expectations of employment standards with confidence and make use of the judicial system to bring about compliant action. The article concluded with the notion that legislative awareness can result in empowered actions though informed employee voices. / PhD (Labour Relations Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

373f. / Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-10-09T15:02:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese - Maciel Henrique Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 2966299 bytes, checksum: f3df7a38bef0aa1cc174f94589bc34f2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2013-10-30T18:12:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese - Maciel Henrique Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 2966299 bytes, checksum: f3df7a38bef0aa1cc174f94589bc34f2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-30T18:12:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese - Maciel Henrique Carneiro da Silva.pdf: 2966299 bytes, checksum: f3df7a38bef0aa1cc174f94589bc34f2 (MD5) / CAPES / Esta pesquisa investiga as trabalhadoras domésticas de Recife e Salvador, suas experiências, suas lutas, sua formação enquanto classe, a precariedade de suas vidas, na conjuntura emancipacionista dos anos finais do século XIX e iniciais do século XX. Através da literatura de ficção, de processos criminais e cíveis, de anúncios de jornais, de documentação oficial, busco reconstituir as experiências de vida de domésticas negras, mestiças e brancas, escravas, livres e libertas. Argumento que essas domésticas agenciaram suas vidas em contextos de precariedade, mas que lograram produzir experiências de uma identidade de classe em formação. Elas não apenas estavam se formando enquanto classe unicamente a partir de suas próprias experiências. Os textos literários produzidos por escritores e memorialistas baianos e pernambucanos buscaram increvê-las em lugares sociais e raciais subalternos, adstritos aos valores paternalistas e escravistas ainda resistentes ao avanço de regras formais de relações de trabalho. Mas apesar da riqueza das fontes literárias na produção e disseminação de valores de submissão e do lugar subalterno do trabalho doméstico, defendo que o conjunto de experiências sociais das mulheres que a ele nos anos pré e pós-emancipação põem em suspeição imagens idílicas que associam serviço doméstico a servilismo, à harmonia entre patrões e empregadas. Por fim, e apesar do foco na formação de classe, reconstitui experiências mais amplas de conflitos populares cotidianos nos quais as domésticas tiveram participação, por acreditar que não é só na relação de trabalho que uma classe se forma. This research investigates female domestic workers in Recife and Salvador, their experiences, their struggles, their formation as a class and the precariousness of their lives, in the emancipation conjuncture of the final years of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Through literature, fiction, criminal and civil lawsuits, newspaper advertisements and official documentation, I try to reconstitute the life experiences of black, half-breed and white domestics, slaves, free and manumitted. I argue that those domestics managed their lives in contexts of precariousness, but somehow succeeded to produce experiences of a class identity in formation. They not only were forming themselves as a class just from their own experiences. Literary texts produced by writers and memoirists from Bahia and Pernambuco tried to put them in social and racial subordinate places, attached to paternalistic and proslavery values still resistant to the advancement of formal rules of labor relations. But despite the wealth of literary sources in the production and dissemination of submission values and the subordinate place of the domestic work, I endorse that the set of social experiences of women who engaged in domestic work in the coming years pre and postemancipation put on suspicion idyllic images which associate domestic service to servilism, to harmony between employers and employees. Finally, despite the focus on class formation, I reconstituted wider experiences of popular daily conflicts in which the female domestic workers had participation, believing that not only in the working relationship a class is formed. / Salvador