Fighting for Fairness: Filipino Domestic Workers Discuss Labor Protections
Queens, NY – Last weekend, Damayan members, mainly low-income Filipino women and mothers, deepend their understaning of the “NY Workers Bill of Rights Workshop”.
The event began with an energetic icebreaker game, a reaction-time test with cups, which set a welcoming tone. A Mother’s Day photo booth, decorated with beautiful flowers, was set up to honor immigrant mothers. For the main presentation, participants learned from Jonathan Novella, a community affairs associate with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) about government-mandated workers' rights, including Protected Time Off. Many domestic workers and labor trafficking survivors shared personal experiences of workplace rights violations by their employers.
The day also included a discussion on current affairs in the Philippines, specifically the Filipino government and the energy crisis in relation to the Iran war. The results of the Tulungan survey were also discussed and reviewed. The event concluded on a high note with a lively Zumba session.
Support Damayan in continuing to provide empowering workshops for low-income Filipino workers by becoming a member or volunteering.