FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 15, 2024
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, dperez@domesticworkers.org
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
Domestic Workers Unite at Philadelphia’s City Hall, Urging Mayor’s Support for $2.66 Million Budget to Advance Worker Protections
The recommended budget would expand the resources necessary to increase support for vulnerable workers, including domestic workers, who experience retaliation, wage theft, and abuse despite the passage of the Philadelphia Domestic Worker Bill of Rights in 2020.
The workers gathered in City Hall to deliver a symbolic gesture to Mayor Cherelle Parker and other council members, calling on their support for the $2.66 Million budget for the Office of Worker Protections.
Philadelphia, PA – On Wednesday, February 14, a diverse coalition of domestic workers, restaurant industry employees, gig workers, and other workers gathered today at the Philadelphia City Hall in a symbolic Valentine’s Day action, urging Mayor Cherelle Parker to commit to a $2.66 million budget for the Office of Worker Protections. The proposed budget allocation aims to bolster worker protections, implement anti-retaliation measures, and enforce essential safeguards.
The event, titled “For the Love of Workers: Valentine’s Day at City Hall,” saw passionate advocates delivering a Valentine’s Day card and flowers to Mayor Cherelle Parker, conveying a powerful message: support our precise demand for $2.66 million for the Office of Worker Protections. This funding is critical for enforcing anti-retaliation measures and protecting vulnerable workers from wage theft, abuse, and retaliation. Currently, the Office of Worker Protections only offers one investigator for 197,000 residents in the city – the recommended budget would expand the resources necessary to hire more investigators.
“Today, we stand united to demand justice and fairness for all workers in Philadelphia,” said Nicole Kligerman, Director of the NDWA Philadelphia Chapter. “This $2.66 million budget is critical for advancing the protections our domestic and other workers need. It ensures that employers can be held accountable, and it is essential for empowering workers to assert their rights in the workplace.”
Maria del Carmen Diaz, a dedicated worker and NDWA member, shared her testimony, emphasizing the significance of the fight for worker rights: “I stand here today as a testament to the resilience and determination of workers like myself. For 27 years, I have poured my heart and soul into my work, facing hardships, abuse, and injustices. But through it all, I have found strength in unity and solidarity. We must continue to fight – not just for ourselves but for every worker who deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I am proud of my work and here to ensure that our rights are acknowledged, fiercely protected, and valued.”
The diverse worker coalition’s objective goes beyond addressing past injustices. It seeks to broaden protections for workers in temporary positions, the restaurant industry, the gig economy, and other vulnerable sectors and ensure that employers are held accountable. Despite the significant progress made with the adoption of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights in 2020, many workers continue to face retaliation for asserting their rights, including immediate terminations and deportation threats.
The collective action today underscores the urgent need for Mayor Cherelle Parker’s support in ensuring fair treatment and dignified working conditions for all workers in Philadelphia.
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National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. Learn more at
www.domesticworkers.org. NDWA is a non-partisan non-profit organization that does not endorse, support, or oppose any candidates for public office.
