Gender and Migration: Domestic Work

Question 1

According to Perenas, what is reproductive labor?

Answer 1

household chores, care of elderly/adults/youth, maintain family ties. community obligations

Question 2

Why is there a need for the international division of reproductive labor, according to Perenas?

Answer 2

“shaped simultaneously by global capitalism, gender inequality in the sending country, and gender inequality in the receiving county”

Question 3

What are the three tiers of the IDL?

Answer 3

Core, Periphery, and Semi-periphery

Question 4

International Division of Reproductive Labor (IDRL)

Answer 4

a system in which manufacturing shifts from first world to developing nations;

workers in the third world produce goods for the first world;

opportunities for female migration;

middle classes grow, women enter workforce

Question 5

What are “core” countries and what are their roles?

Answer 5

USA, Canada, Western Europe, Japan; corporate headquarters locations, retail & distribution

Question 6

What are the “periphery” countries and what are their roles?

Answer 6

Southern Asia, South America, some African states; manufacturing

Question 7

What are the “semiperiphery” countries and what are their roles?

Answer 7

Central Europe; assembly facilities, partially managing and development, branch offices

Question 8

Historically, what were the norms of domestic work?

Answer 8

African American women pre & post Civil War;

1900s- Irish women and new immigrants

1930s- National Labor Relations Act excludes domestic workers from protection

1950s onward: Asians, Africans, Latin Americans

Question 9

What are the 3 tiers of the IDRL?

Answer 9

Middle class women in West (Rome/USA), migrant domestic workers (Filipinas), women carefivers in developing countries (Philippines)

Question 10

“Care Chains”

Answer 10

Women from poor countries move to take care of mothering and household tasks for women in rich countries; same women then hire poorer women who can’t migrate to take care of kids in the poor countries

Question 11

Domestic Workers Organize

Answer 11

1.8 million domestic workers; 200k nannies/line-in caretakers, housekeepers in NYC;

earn between $1.43 - $40/hr (avg. $10/hr)

live-in- 21% earn less than minimum wage, 63% work overtime

18% earn less than poverty line

Question 12

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (NYC 2010)

Answer 12

8 hrs/day, overtime pay (40+ hours live-out, 44+ live-in), 1 day of rest/week

3 paid days off after 1 year

no workplace discrimination/harassment

full-time & part-time domestic workers eligible for temporary disability benefits