Ratification as International Solidarity: Reflections on Switzerland and Decent Work for Domestic Workers

Abstract

On November 12, 2014, the Swiss government notified the International Labour Organization (ILO) of its ratification of Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. In joining, Switzerland proclaimed that its laws were in conformity with Convention No. 189. Ratification, it was argued, would constitute an act of international solidarity.

Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 201 have provided a strong basis of alternative legality to the inequitable 'law of the home-workplace' that has historically governed domestic work. Ratification provides one point of entry into a community of practice, through which the ILO and its Members may foster an ongoing process of regulatory innovation, and structural social change. In this article, we reflect on the meaning to be given to Swiss invocations of international solidarity, resolutely situating the notion within a broader framework that extends beyond recognition, to include representation, and redistribution.

Keywords: International Development, International Organisations, Domestic Workers, International Labour Law, Migrant Domestic Workers