Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE MIGRANT RIGHTS Centre Ireland has raised concerns that there aren’t enough protections in place to ensure that workers aren’t being exploited or abused in diplomatic households here.
That’s in spite of the 57 members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) recently signing up to measures aimed at protecting domestic workers in embassies and other diplomatic missions.
The OSCE members agreed an addendum to their ‘Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings’, stating that nations should promote measures to prevent trafficking for domestic servitude, including servitude in diplomatic households and “to protect workers and inform them of their rights as employees and how to report abuses”.
A case in New York made headlines around the world last month when it emerged a high profile Indian diplomat and women’s rights advocate was found to be paying her maid just $3.30 an hour, and the MRCI says similar exploitation is still taking place in Ireland.
“We’ve encountered several cases of domestic servitude in diplomatic households in Dublin,” the MRCI’s Gráinne O’Toole said. “Workers are being trafficked to Ireland by diplomatic employees and made work in exploitative and even abusive conditions.”
O’Toole said that in such cases, women had been brought to the country under false pretences, promised a decent job and a fair salary only to find themselves required to work “12-hour days, seven days a week, confined to the house and paid a pittance or nothing at all”.
“We’re particularly concerned that some embassies are repeat offenders — although the Government is aware of previous exploitation of domestic workers in certain diplomatic households, they continue to allow new workers to be brought in under the exact same conditions.
O’Toole highlighted two ongoing cases in which the MRCI was working to help former workers who had been exploited.
In one of the cases, a 17-year-old girl travelled to Ireland to work for a diplomat’s family, having been told she would be allowed work part time and pursue her studies. On arrival, she found she would be required to be the sole carer of a child with severe special needs. Her day started at 5.30am, and her employer hit her when she asked to use the phone to call her family. She wasn’t paid for her three years of work, and hasn’t been compensated since.
The other case involved three Asian women who were brought to Dublin as domestic workers for a diplomat and his family. They worked for an average 108 hours a week; two were paid €134 per month and the third around €160 per month, as she had been working for the family for longer.
O’Toole said that despite repeated promises from the government to bring in protections, “there still are no measures or checks to ensure that workers are not being exploited or abused in diplomatic households in Ireland.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Employers all over Ireland paying €1-10 an hour, (jobbridge)
I pay my asian cleaner/nanny/dog walker/domestic dogs body €10 euro a week. And she love me long time
I went for a research job in an embassy many years ago. The guy who interviewed me was amazingly rude and abrupt. He told me I would be doing 60 hours a week and also expected to work overtime. I would not get holiday pay, bank holidays off, pension or healthcare. The pay was much lower than advertised and way below what I was getting paid part time.
He became very angry when I pointed out the conditions were not acceptable and if it was not an embassy it would be breaking Irish employment law. He literally pushed me out of his office.
I can only imagine how he would treat domestic staff.
Years ago I was talking to an Irish employee of the US embassy. They told me not only did they get equal pay with a comparable US employee of the Embassy but they also got all the Irish & US bank/public holidays.
So I guess jobbridge conditions only apply to some embassies.
This was way before jobsbridge existed. You would also find US wages are compatible. The embassy I was at would not have compatible salaries with a western country.
I don’t think you have to even read between the lines to know they aren’t talking about western country embassies
Kal
Did I not say “some embassies”.
Regardless an embassy is considered foreign soil so there could be very little Irish authorities could do. You could even ask what conditions local staff (non-Irish) working in Irish embassies all over the world are employed under, Are they paid the minimum Irish wage, get maternity cover, and the working time directive etc. that applies to Irish workers, or do Irish embassies try to get away with offering the minimum they can get away with under the laws of the country they are in?
This could end up being a kettle & pot situation.
Do these servants not need work permits? If so shouldn’t they be documented and advised of their rights?
I presume since they are in diplomatic residences its the laws of the diplomats home country that applies and not Irish Law
What about the au pairs must of them are European and. There’s very unfair situations where them passport is taken away. 12 hrs or more of hard work (Cleaning, food shooping, ironing, cooking, even farming!!!! Or gardening ) and very mean treatment. All that for just 80-100 a week.
Name and shame.
Start with the Nigerians, then the Chinese, then move on to the Israelis, then the Arabs.
The Israelis? Israel has some of the best employment protection laws in the world.
Name & shame these embassies / diplomats.
Not if yer an Arab, or worse still a Palestinian Arab.
Did somebody say Israel?!
So Jobbridge is an international employment incentive.
Sounds like similar situation to alot of ordinary workers in the public service. Poor salary longer hours and crap conditions now
Try working for yourself Declan.
…unsackable, guaranteed pension, excellent sick benefits and annual leave.
Breaks your heart doesn’t it?
LUCKY TO HAVE A JOB!
Or so I’m told, on a different topic it is terrible the way some diplomatic slaves or servants are treated.
Is this government funding The Migrant Rights Center Ireland to continually look for fault in Ireland? Do they not realise that all the embassies in Ireland or whatever country they are in are considered foreign soil and under the jurisdiction of of their “home” country ? So any violation of Irish law is at best difficult to deal with. Perhaps the next article I read here concerning a statement from The MRCI will be about how much they appreciate what we are doing for people who come to settle here; or is that too much to ask?
The problem with enforcing domestic law in embassies is not because they’re foreign soil. They aren’t foreign soil, that’s a myth.
My wives don’t mind as they don’t be out in cold and wet with begging bowl getting filthy abuse
have your say