Responses of workers' organizations to the COVID‐19 crisis: Intersectional approaches of domestic workers in Mexico

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic profoundly impacted the paid domestic work sector in the global South, exacerbating long‐standing inequalities experienced by domestic workers. This article explores how domestic workers' organizations (DWOs) mobilized to support this marginalized workforce during the crisis. Adopting an intersectional perspective, the study shows that DWOs in Mexico strategically used their intersecting identities as working‐class women from ethnic minorities to garner support from civil society organizations aligned with their cause. These efforts proved essential in addressing the immediate needs of domestic workers and challenging inequalities in the face of inadequate support from national and local authorities. DWOs played a crucial role in raising awareness, providing services, and shaping public policy to promote decent work in the sector. The article contributes to the body of research on domestic work by illuminating DWOs' intersectional approaches to confronting oppression and marginalization during the crisis. This has wider implications for understanding other sectors characterized by inequality, particularly where marginalized women form a significant part of the workforce.