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UK refuses to sign convention to protect domestic workers

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Summary of story from The Guardian, June 15, 2011

The UK government is set to abstain from signing an international convention protecting the rights of hundreds of thousands of domestic workers – cleaners, cooks and nannies – who are denied basic rights, mistreated, or even enslaved around the globe.

The Convention on Domestic Workers was adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO, made up of government, worker and employer delegates) at its centenial conference today by a vote of 396 to 16.

Campaigners were stunned by the move, saying it would embarrass Britain, leave domestic workers in the UK vulnerable, and undermine efforts to improve conditions in countries where employees had even less protection.

The UK is thought to be the only member country of the ILO, a UN agency, to abstain from the vote in Geneva today.

Labour’s former Europe minister, Denis MacShane, wrote to David Cameron asking him to reverse the decision.

“I cannot believe that you or any member of the coalition government can oppose this measure. It is sad and shameful that Britain alone in the world will refuse to vote for this convention.”

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