South Florida cities acknowledge contributions of domestic workers

CBS News

2 days ago

In a landmark move, the cities of Pembroke Pines and Hollywood have, for the first time, issued official proclamations recognizing the invaluable contributions of domestic workers.
Florida Rising, a statewide organization dedicated to building power in Black and brown communities, advocated for the predominantly immigrant community and many undocumented workers who are the backbone of the domestic workforce.
These proclamations mark a significant turning point in the long and often invisible history of domestic work in Florida.
For generations, domestic workers - overwhelmingly women of color and immigrant women - have labored without formal recognition, often facing challenging working conditions and lacking basic protections.
Their work, essential to the functioning of countless Floridian households and the state's economy, has historically been undervalued and overlooked.
Currently, many domestic workers are concerned because of the radical anti-immigrant wave affecting them and their families.
"This is a monumental first step towards acknowledging the dignity and immense societal contribution of domestic workers in Pembroke Pines and Hollywood," said Ysa Osses, Latinx Statewide Constituency Director at Florida Rising.
"For too long, these hardworking women, many of whom are immigrant and undocumented members of our communities, have been in the shadows. These proclamations finally bring their essential labor into the light."
The history of domestic work in Florida, as in much of the United States, is deeply intertwined with legacies of racial and gender inequity.
Nationally, the domestic worker rights movement has fought for decades to secure basic labor protections, fair wages, and respect for a workforce excluded from many of the foundational labor laws of the 20th century.