Domestic workers have to work in 6 households to make minimum wage, survey shows

Of the employers who were surveyed in Bengaluru, more than 55% believed that they paid their domestic workers 'generously'

Domestic workers in Bengaluru and Chennai have to work in six low-paying jobs to realise the states' minimum wages, a survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Human Settlements, a Bengaluru-based educational institution, show.

Of the employers who were surveyed in Bengaluru, more than 55 per cent believed that they paid their domestic workers “generously.” In Chennai, 51 per cent believed they paid their domestic workers “adequately.”

Cleaning, food preparation, upkeep and the time they take to perform these tasks determine the workers’ wages. However, on the downside, skill, reputation and experience don’t count for much while deciding the wages. Trustworthiness, hardwork and punctuality form the key aspects of recruitment while religion, caste and region of origin were “not important at all,” the study noted.

Reason for hiring domestic workers

The study also found out that the most common reason for hiring domestic workers is to free time for care/emotional work in both Bengaluru and Chennai. Additionally "frees up time for paid work/am able to keep a job" was also one of the most-cited reasons.

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Statistically, there are 47.5 lakh domestic workers in the country. Interestingly, only 10 of the 31 states and Union territories made domestic workers a part of the schedule of Minimum Wages Act. The Periodic Labour Force Survey classifies Domestic work as “informal.”

The wages paid

While the wages for domestic workers are from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 in Chennai, it is Rs 2,000 to Rs 13,000 in Bengaluru.

However, the minimum wage in Karnataka ranges from Rs 12,241 to Rs 14,711. In Tamil Nadu, it ranges from Rs 8,005 to Rs 9,418. This means that in Karnataka, a worker has to work in six households to get the minimum wage. In Tamil Nadu, a worker has to work in at least 8 households to get the minimum wage.