Comparing Australian garment and childcare homeworkers’ experience of regulation and representation

Abstract

Labour markets in Australia have long been segmented by gender and race. This study compares two highly gendered and racially segmented labour markets, home-based family day care workers and garment homeworkers. The comparative cases examine the broader trends of migration, production and consumption that reinforce gender and racial stereotypes, and discourses that underpin representations that women workers are ideally suited to such work. We theorise the gender and racialised inequalities of homework based on the literature on invisibilisation and social reproduction to explore the vulnerable position of migrant women and the consequences of having limited options, such as legal and social protections and any capacity to collectively organise. Our analysis examines the roles and responses of institutions and conceptualises the socio-political factors that affect the characterisation of homework as non-work or as self-employed entrepreneurial activities. By mapping the differing regulatory trajectories of these two groups of homeworkers in terms of regulation and representation, we find both similarities and differences. While garment homeworkers have achieved recognition through legislation and social mobilisation, their circumstances leave them less likely to access such rights. By contrast, the failure to recognise family day care homeworkers, has left them to market forces. JEL code: J01

Application of job security laws, workers’ bargaining power and employment outcomes in India

“…Although informal labour contracts are more pervasive in developing countries, they are detectable in certain sectors of developed nations as well. Delaney et al (2018) show how Australian home-based garment and child-care workers receive significantly less than the statutory minimum pay, lack superannuation, and work excessive hours in risky environments with low occupational health and safety standards and no protection from unfair dismissal. At the risk of invisibilisation, contract workers everywhere are isolated and without scope for bargaining collectively.…”

What do we know about the experiences of migrant care workers in Australia? A scoping study

“…Migrant care workers—as with non‐professional frontline care workers in general—are paid poorly (Goel & Penman, 2015). It is therefore not surprising that many care workers point to their pay as an undesirable aspect of their working conditions (Delaney et al, 2018; Gao et al, 2015; Scarino et al, 2015). Importantly, though, at least one study (Gao et al, 2015) found that the low pay was not related to care workers intentions to stay or leave the job.…”

“…For example, they can make an impact by fostering good relations (Goel & Penman, 2015), by providing language support (Gao et al, 2015; Goel & Penman, 2015; King et al, 2012) and by focussing on cultural diversity or improving cultural awareness (Gao et al, 2015; Nichols et al, 2015). Notably, home‐based child care workers report feeling particularly unsupported by their organisations (Delaney et al, 2018). Black aged care workers, similarly feel that organisations are not supporting them and ignoring racism, with a study of black carers concluding that ‘in neither account is there a strong indication that supervisors and managers actively sought changes in client behaviour or demanded that African migrant care workers be respected’ (Olasunkanmi‐Alimi et al, 2021).…”

“…For example, in one study (Nichols et al, 2015), many participants provided examples of positive and supportive relationships but the researchers also reported examples of disharmony motivated by the lack of Australian-born workers' tolerance and also trust in migrants' abilities (Nichols et al, 2015). Home-based childcare worker, who lack relationships with other workers, report feeling isolated and disconnected from the broader community (Delaney et al, 2018). Relationships with residents are also an aspect of worker experiences.…”

Quality and marketised care: The case of family day care

“…However, contracting is standard; family day care educators are almost universally self-employed and set their own fees. For further discussion of family day care workers' employment arrangements, see Delaney et al (2018). help educators' families understand the nature of the work, provide practical resources such as equipment and toy libraries and organise play sessions to bring together groups of educators and the children for whom they care.…”