WR39C Domestic Workers Advocacy Project Proposal In approximately 300 words, write a formal proposal that clarifies your topic, your observations on proble

WR39C Domestic Workers Advocacy Project Proposal In approximately 300 words, write a formal proposal that clarifies your topic, your observations on problems that arise from your topic, your position on solving these problems, and the information you hope to find during research to assist you in finding solutions. Be sure to emphasize the relevancy of your topic today and the urgency to seek solutions. Finally, be specific in the solutions you offer.

Below are guides to write the proposal

The Advocacy Project asks that you support a position in regards to a problem that you observe in the world. This problem should be linked to the topics we have discussed in our class such as gender inequities, racial/cultural divides amongst types of labor work, barriers to advancement opportunities based on geographic and language background, socioeconomic exploitation of worker demographics, and bio-control within colonial, post-colonial and neo-imperialistic power dynamics that uses bodies for service. Whatever problem you choose, start to narrow the range of issues now.

Task one: free-write for five minutes to explore your interests on the topic. (This may be a shorter task if you are using the same problem that you addressed in the HCP—in which case, simply write one sentence to establish the topic)

Task two: write three solutions that you might argue to advance the state of the problem addressed in your project.

Task three: evaluate each of your solutions by applying each of the below questions to them.

Does the solution address the cause of the problem?
Does the solution satisfactorily address the problem for a significant number of those most affected by the problem?
Does the solution’s benefits exceed its costs?
Is the solution feasible? Realistic? Easy to implement? Sustainable?
Has a similar solution worked well in another comparable context?
What argument(s) might opponents make about this solution?

The problem you pick will be based on the thesis statement of Historical Conversations Project Draft. I have uploaded below.

You may also get primary sources from the article “American’s Dirty Work” . Qian 1
Yiyu Qian
Loretta Ramirez
Historical Conversations Project Draft # 3 / Writing 39C
30 April 2019
The Delayed Policy
I.
Introduction
The articles, “The Nanny Dilemma,” “Blowups and other unhappy endings” and
“Invisible Labors” clearly depict condition of nannies in the United States Society.
Domestic workers have long faced a myriad of challenges in dispensing their duties
mainly because the sector is unregulated, not well compensated and not given the respect
it deserves. This happens even though nannies are the people that perform our intimate of
house chores such as child care, cooking, and even adult care. Domestic workers continue
to face unprofessional conduct from their employers via abrupt sackings, failure to
respect them as autonomous human beings, poor working conditions, unfair
implementation of deductions from their paychecks and the unfair expansion of their
duties without increasing their pay. Indeed, because we are a society that values
independence, and autonomy, we even fear to ask for their assistance because we will
seem weak and thus we prefer their sort of invisible presence. This sector requires
regulation to create a more professional employer-employee relationship. The employer’s
need to play their part also in ensuring they are responsible parents to their children and
not leave that to the nannies since they are just professional helpers. In this article, I
submit that nannies play an integral role in our society and therefore parents should
support them by playing their parental role, respecting as valuable professionals and
creating the necessary policy changes to professionalize their work.
II.
The Historical Context
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The increased presence of the woman in the workplace has necessitated the
increased need for nannies. However, it has not been the case in history as societal needs
have been evolving. Nanny responsibilities have historically included childcare and
housekeeping chores. The economic needs and necessities coupled with family
commitments have created the need for nannies as it is mostly linked to the availability of
employment opportunities in urban areas. Thus nannies have existed ever since the
settlement of people in urban areas. The roles of the nanny have evolved with the family
arrangement and more specifically the role of women in society. Women were viewed in
society as having the role to just rear children and take care of the home while their
husbands worked in offices or the army.
The 1950s American society was a period of great American prosperity
economically, and thus most American could afford house servants. As more women
began getting educated and pursuing professional careers and getting into the workplace,
the need for nannies grew. The growth of suburban areas in the US further fueled the
demand for nannies even as economic fortunes for most Americans dwindled while the
woman was more liberalized and thus the profession continued to be of great help to
working parents in urban areas. Today, nannies are an integral part of our lives as there
are all types of nannies in urban settings. According to the US Census Bureau, 23% of
women in the US earn more than their husbands today than ever before (Kliff, 2019). It is
also estimated that more than half of all managerial jobs are occupied by professional
women at the workplace.
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Figure 1 The Growing number of working women in the American Society
These statistics depict the rise of women in their career and thus they require help
at home and this is where the nannies fill the gap (Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners,
2008). However, domestic caregivers are not valued or respected by society as it ought to
be. Indeed, the evolution of the woman has had a significant impact on the development
of the nanny and will continue to play an integral role in the future. Moreover, the
economic development will affect the ability of nannies to earn as they depend on wages
paid by the working class professionals.
III.
Lack of Regulation
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According to the US Census Bureau, the number of domestic workers in the
United States has increased to 924,290 against an estimated 1,216,600 jobs available.
Figure 2 Childcare Workers Jobs in the US 2016
The numbers of jobs are even higher if the 2016 stats are anything to go by. This shows
that the demand for the nanny services is high.
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According to a 2017 INA Nanny Salary and benefits survey, nannies make an
average of $19.14 per hour and $20-30 in larger cities like LA and NY(2017 INA Nanny
Salary & Benefits Survey RESULTS, 2018). This shows that most of the nannies are
living below the FPL considering that they have families to feed and not forgetting they
are immigrants. Nannies that are undocumented receive less pay and have less bargaining
power in seeking better pay (Michel, 2019). For example undocumented Latinas could
make a meager $8.30 per hour.
However, despite the number of domestic workers being so high, there are no
standards, no certification boards or even examinations that have been set by the
government to regulate the sector. Indeed, it is a challenge since most of the nannies are
immigrants on green cards or temporary permits (Working time, 2015). For example,
Dominique is expected by her employees to arrive at work early, work for long hours
while taking care of the infants, cleaning the house and also performing other household
chores that may not even be beyond the essential nanny roles such as walking the dog and
taking care of the employer’s kids (Ehrenreich and Hochschild, 2004).
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The ILO rules and standards can be used to protect domestic workers from unfair
terms and treatment. The ILO Domestic workers Convention No. 189 of 2011 would help
the society recognize nannies better and protect them from discrimination (Recognizing
the rights of domestic workers, 2018). However, the US government is not a signatory to
this piece of legislation. Furthermore the 2014 amendment evens required member states
to make laws to prevent forced labor, unfair terms and ensure justice. Most of the
domestic workers in the US are disadvantaged because they are not protected by this law.
Thus the nanny service providers like Dominique are disadvantaged as they do not have
specific roles that they play as well as professional bodies that can protect them from
exploitation. Thus they are vulnerable to being misused by their employer or even
overworked (Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, 2008). The failure to regulate this
industry has caused the nannies to experience mistreatment in the hands of their
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employers as most of them are summarily dismissed after asking for a pay rise or asking
for a sick day off.
According to Sotelo, a regulation model need to teach the unique needs of the nannies
and their wellbeing as it has a direct impact on the quality of their work. A simple change
to begin is to provide a decent wage minimum that is conscious of their needs as
individuals in the labor market who also want better respect for their work, trust, and
autonomy as people who have their own families that need them. This requires employers
to involve them in setting working hours, wages and sticking to the plan. It is illegal to
unfairly dismiss nannies without their respective wages or making unaccounted
deductions (Wu, 2016). The government should also require nanny agencies to register
workers who have the legal authority to reside in the United States as this will take away
the leverage threats from employers that seek to call the police on the nannies. This will
help reduce cases of nannies and employers blow up.
IV.
The Challenges of Invisible Care
According to Lynn May Rivas on “Invisible labors,” the best care workers are
those whose presence is barely felt. The nannies are mostly immigrant workers who are
already viewed as invisible in American society since they belong to the minority groups.
The challenge they face when giving care to elderly clients is that their clients prefer
nannies that come to work once in a while and not those that live with them. The effect is
that the American society does not value dependence or interdependence and therefore
the care receivers feel shame in asking for care because the society is likely to stigmatize
them as dependent and thus weak (Wu, 2016). Thus care to give is viewed negatively
while everything is commercialized to appease to the independent class. The thought of
the care receivers lacking quality services can be daunting for most of them even though
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they prefer a hands-off approach. There is a need to overcome the stigma fears and
realize that the nannies can offer quality services if only their work is appreciated, well
rewarded and respected.
V.
The Attachment Factor
Children and families remain emotionally attached to people who are temporarily
in their lives. However, like Dominique, most nannies are careful not to be emotionally
attached to their clients as it may raise the ire of the mother who values the bond with
their children (Ehrenreich and Hochschild, 2004). However, these parents are too busy
and require help, and that is where nannies step in to offer that professional touch. The
services of a nanny may never reach that of a mother, but it better than nothing.
According to Sotelo, there is a need for a mature and professional approach to the way
the work of a nanny is terminated. Firstly, there needs to be open communication
between the nanny and her boss (Ehrenreich and Hochschild, 2004). This will allow the
employer to know if they are not fulfilling their part of the agreement.
The nanny, on the other hand, needs to realize that they must be open about their
grievances instead of bust-ups. Prior notification of scheduled activities in a cordial
manner is crucial. A participatory approach in the preparation of a timetable is the best
way to schedule activities to allow both parties to be responsible (Kliff, 2019). Parents
should also prepare their kids to accept the exit of a caregiver and also ensure they
respect their nannies time off while practicing fair employment practices (Recognizing
the rights of domestic workers, 2018). According to the National Domestic Workers
Association, care givers who did not have written contracts were at a greater risk of
exploitation, unfair dismissal or poor pay. A written contract can help alleviate
unnecessary bust-ups. The National Domestic Worker Association provides ethical
guidelines that employer need to follow in case of the need to terminate the contract.
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VI.
Remote Parenting
The number of women in the workplace environment has increased in recent
times and hence the need for nannies especially in urban areas has grown.
It is imperative that parents realize that they play an integral role in the
upbringing of their children despite the pressure to also deliver in their careers
(Population Division, Laura K. Yax., 2019). The father should also support by being
present whenever possible to bond with their children (Wu, 2016). The mother should
also ensure that the job description of the nanny is respected and not overlooked by
assigning to them work that is not linked to their job description. Indeed, remote
parenting needs to stop as parents should take a little more responsibility (Population
Division, Laura K. Yax., 2019). According to Sotelo, Nannies are human, and thus
employers need to learn to treat them with respect since most of the parents are not
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available most of the time to provide full-time parenting (Ehrenreich and Hochschild,
2004). While lies and alibis are consistently used by employers to fire employees, it is
crucial to develop a more professional and honest approach in firing their domestic
workers. Employers use excuses such as extended trips, relocations, and house
remodeling while nannies use excuses such as needing to leave to Guatemala to take care
of their sick mothers. A professional approach may require prior notification which
should also be respected by the employers.
According to Sarah Cohen, a lawyer who represents domestic workers in her
interview with Elvis Areola hears of how Areola had notified her employer of her
intention to leave employment but was thrown out of the house before the due date and
was forced to seek flights in the middle of the night. It is crucial to recognize the rights of
nannies who may be sick just like us and therefore would require a day off to recover
instead of firing them arbitrarily.
VII.
Required Legislation
Reforms in this sector need to be implemented by including the care givers into
the Harris-Jayapal bill that would address many of the issues affecting them especially
anti-discrimination and forced labor (Sanchez, 2013). This is necessitated by the growing
number of legal issues concerning the nanny-employer relationship as depicted below.
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This bill currently in Congress needs to include domestic workers. The bill would
also provide for their training to improve their skills, the right to unionize, and the
development of task forces to review their wellbeing and recommend action on violators
(Kliff, 2019). Currently the NDWA is one of the strongest unions in the US for nannies
and other domestic workers. It allows an avenue to launch complaints and seek legal
redress. The organization has over 20,000 members across the US and it is increasing.
The NDWA is pushing for the Domestic Workers Bill of rights sponsored by democrats
that would address the domestic workers concerns.
VIII.
Conclusion
In conclusion, domestic workers are looked down upon by their employers, put
under surveillance because they are not trusted, deducted their pay unfairly and arbitrarily
fired as in the case of Elvis Areola. Most of them have to deal with unfair accusations
from children while frequent outbursts with their employees lead to their employment
termination. Most of the adults who require their care value them so much while at the
same time they want the nannies to keep a hands-off approach because of the shame and
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guilt of asking for help. Indeed, the sooner we realize that we cannot undervalue domestic
workers and need them so badly at the same time, the better for us as a society. Parents
need to realize that they are still parents to their children and once they seek the services
of a nanny they seek a helper, and a friend who will help them meet their goals for a fee
and thus their interaction should be professional. Policy changes are vital and neigh and
should seek to ensure Nannies and house workers access fair remuneration, right working
conditions, and fair termination. The policy changes need to encourage written contracts
to reduce cases of illegal reduction of wages. Indeed the modern woman should support
the push for better services from domestic workers since they benefit the most as they can
advance their careers. Indeed, domestic workers play a crucial role in our lives and thus
should be supported via policy changes that seek to respect their position in society and
professionalize their good work.
IX.
Annotated Bibliographies
Ehrenreich, B., & Hochschild, A. R. (2004). Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and
Sex Workers in the New Economy. Macmillan.
Tina Wu is a researcher of issues, race, social mobility, and culture and labor relations at
the University of Pennsylvania. Wu compares the reactions to disrespect and
discrimination of immigrant women of color and US-born white women who are nannies.
The author finds that the immigrant nannies respond to the disrespect by defending the
dignity of their work while US-born white women disengage from the nanny work. The
author uses comparative research to collect the data that identifies the reactions of
immigrant nannies and those of the white nannies when their occupational dignity is put
under threat. This study by the author is relevant in identifying the challenges and
reaction of different races to discrimination and disrespect to the nanny job and thus
depicting the need for respecting nannies and professionalizing their services. Policy
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makers and worker agencies that want to advance the interests of nannies will find Wu’s
work quite useful.
Wu, T. (2016). More than a paycheck: nannies, work, and identity. Citizenship
Studies, 20(3-4), 295-310. doi:10.1080/13621025.2016.1158358
In this book Susan Cheever, Hondagneu-Sotelo and Lynn May Rivas argue for better
working conditions and treatment of nannies and domestic workers. Cheever depicts the
tough day to day life of a nanny from Trinidad called Dominique. Hondagneu-Sotelo
advocates that the disagreements and wrongful terminations of a nanny, as well as jobs
by employers, depict the challenges nannies while Rivas shows how the American
culture of independence has made it difficult for the nannies to take care of adults who
require care. The authors interview the immigrant nannies who share their experiences
and advance the narrative of the mistreatment and manipulation of nannies by their
employers in the mostly unregulated occupation. The labor rights groups, human rights
groups, and the policy makers in government will find this work useful.
Work Cited Page
2017 INA Nanny Salary & Benefits Survey RESULTS. (2018, January 15). Retrieved
from https://nanny.org/2017-ina-nanny-salary-benefits-survey-results/
Ehrenreich, B., & Hochschild, A. R. (2004). Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex
Workers in the New Economy. Macmillan.
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Kliff, S. (2019, February 26). Medicare-for-all: Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s new bill,
explained. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/policy-andpolitics/2019/2/26/18239630/medicare-for-all-pramila-jayapal-bill
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners. (2008, September 9). Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372012.htm
Michel, S. (2019, February 22). Beyond Mary Poppins: The Politics and Economics of
Real-Life Nannies. Retrieved from https://www.the-americaninterest.com/2019/02/22/beyond-mary-poppins-the-politics-and-economics-ofreal-life-nannies/
Population Division, Laura K. Yax. (2019). America’s Families and Living
Arrangements: 2011. Retrieved from
https://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2011.html
Recognizing the rights of domestic workers. (2018, August 23). Retrieved from
https://www.ilo.org/global/about-theilo/newsroom/features/WCMS_641738/lang–en/index.htm
Sanchez, R. L. (2013). America’s domestic workers, mostly female immigrants,
‘undervalued and underpaid’. Retrieved from https://www.pri.org/stories/201312-09/americas-domestic-workers-mostly-female-immigrants-undervalued-andunderpaid
Working time. (2015). Domestic Workers across the World: Global and regional
statistics and the extent of legal protection, 55-66. doi:10.5848/ilo.978-9221252-74-0_6
Wu, T. (2016). More than a paycheck: nannies, work, and identity. Citizenship Studies,
20(3-4), 295-310. doi:10.1080/13621025.2016.1158358
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