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March 18, 2009

Star puts the heat on nanny business profiteers

Posted by Anna Bowen at 04:17 PM ET

This week, the Toronto Star has begun to shed some light on the plight of Filipina nannies and their struggle within the flawed federal Live-in Caregiver program. This past Saturday the Toronto Star began its ongoing investigation into the matter, beginning with a look into the dealings of what has begun to look like a Thornhill nanny depot. They have reported that Trakela Spivak, one among many recruiters, is using the system to her advantage, getting families to sponsor one Filipina - a process that takes several months - and landing them a nanny within a week. The trick? She's been hooking up families with nannys who were sponsored three months earlier, an activity that not only leaves new nanny's jobless but is illegal.

Groups of Filipinas under Spivak's care were housed on mattresses in her basement in order that Spivak could offer the speediest nanny connections by having several women on hand. In the meantime, the Star reports that Spivak held their passports and social insurance cards. The potential nannies paid Spivak placement fees, and many hope to attain permanent Canadian residency. Placement fees are banned in four western provinces, but not yet in Ontario, No-one is Illegal reports. Permanent residency can occur in the narrow window after two years in a position as a paid, live-in caregiver, but before three years of landing.

Although the live-in caregiver website urges caregivers to know their rights, reinforcing that people within this program are subject to all the same rights as other Canadian workers and are entitled to overtime pay, vacation, and safe working environments, many Filipina live-in care givers have complained of unsafe working environments and overtime without pay.

No-one is illegal reports that more than 34,000 nannies and caregivers enter Canada every year, and reporting for NIE, Harald Bauder suggests that these temporary foreign workers are going to feel the sting of the economic depression perhaps more than most.

The issue is not only north of the border, however. As Marjorie Ingall reports today for the NY Jewish daily, Forward, domestic workers in NY are also struggling for rights and recognition. Ingall takes a look at the history of racialization on the domestic worker scene.

Thanks to the Star for putting this story in the spotlight.

PIC COURTESY OF JOECLARK'S flickr PHOTOSTREAM

More entries on: Human rights

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