Postgraduate Student Conference
Representation of
Domestic Workers (DWs)
in China
Zhirong HAO
[email protected]
16th June 2009
Outline of the Presentation
1
Introduction
2
DWs’ Representing Organizations
3
Proposed Research Methodology
4
My Problems
Introduction
Motivations
Objectives
Background
 To Fill Literature Gap
No scholarly research
about DWs’ representation in
China.
I am doing my PhD study
in expectation of contributing
some knowledge to this field.
To examine the roles
Add Your Title that
of organizations
represent DWs
in
China.
Terminology
Domestic Worker (DWs)
in my research refer to
person employed in private
homes in urban areas -taking care of children,
cleaning and doing other
household labor.
 Deeply
impressed
by
violation of DWs’ rights
through news reports and my
own experience once talking
with some DWs in Ji’nan City,
China, I hope I can help find
out real reasons of their plight.
To understand the
reasons/factors
that
have influence on the
effectiveness of these
organizations.
Background/Problem
Domestic work has
become very popular in
China recent years.
However,……
Domestic Workers--Marginalized
Status
1) As Women Workers
2) As Informal Workers
3) As Migrant and Laid-off
Workers
1
DW
2
3
DWs= more vulnerable groups
Rights Gap
Work
Characteristics
•Excluded from Labor and •Invisibility
•Fragmentation
Employment Law
•Low wage
•Excluded from Social
Protection (eg. Social
Security System)
•Work overtime without
extra pay
•Violation of Rights as
Humans (eg. lack of
dignity and respects)
•Bad working conditions
……
As individuals, DWs can not overcome the limitations
and constraints when trying to protect their
rights ……
There are organizations for DWs, whether they had
existed before or have newly emerged…..
What are their roles?
My research begins….
Research Questions

Major RQ
What are the roles of the organizations in representing domestic
workers in China? Can these organizations represent DWs
effectively? Why?

Subsidiary RQs
1.What are the organizations that represent DWs in China?
2.Can these organizations represent DWs effectively in China? If not, Why? What are
the factors that prevent them from representing DWs more effectivly?
3.How do the organizations perform their roles? What strategies and activities do they
carry out?
4.What are the structures of these organizations?
5.How do staff think of their organizations’ roles in representing domestic workers?
DWs’ Representing Organizations
FTUs
WF
DWs
LAG
Note:
FTUs Federation of Trade Unions
WF
Women’s Federation
LAGs Legal Advocacy Groups
NGOs Non-governmental Organizations
NGOs
My Hypothesis
These organizations can not represent DWs effectively.
Why do I think so?
What are my reasons?
How can I collect evidence?
By reviewing literature + my own reasoning + future field
work?!
Federation of Trade Unions
 State organ？
 Dual identity : Representative of national interests and workers’
interests at the same time? (Ambivalent roles)
Not decline but increase: membership increase, union branches
increase etc.
Leaders appointed from above but not through democratic
election
…….
Very different from trade unions in other countries.
What are their real roles for DWs in China? Why?
Low efficiency with strong power??
Women’s Federation
 Under the leadership of Communist Party of China (CPC)
 As a bridge connecting party/government and women citizens
Fund from government (eg. Local public finance )
Quasi-governmental Organization?
Passive role for protecting women?
Organizational structure? Leadership? Activities?
What’s its real roles in protecting DWs? Why ?Further investigation…
Source: (
All China Women’s Federation Statues, 2008)
Legal Advocacy Groups
 Include Academic Actors (eg. The Centre for
Women’s Law & Legal Services of Peking
University,1995)
Legal Consulting Office
 As independent actors?
 Research or reputation is their goal? Not really for
DWs’ interests?
……
What are their real roles for DWs? Why?
NGOs
Include Grassroots Organizations
Charitable Organizations etc
Lack of legitimacy?
Lack of fund?
Leaders? Structure?
They do not have strong influence and mobilizing
power among DWs.
What are their real roles? Why? further investigation…
Proposed Research Methodology
 Research
Design
Inductive Strategy
Case Study Approach
 Methodology
Qualitative study employing:
--Semi-structured interviews (eg. organization leaders and staff)
--Non-participant observation (eg. Organization activities for DWs）
Analysis of documents
Multiple sources to collect data

Sample Cases Selection
Investigate TUs, WF, LAGs and NGOs in one city, Xi’an( Shaanxi, China).
A typical city for my research, where it seems that all these organizations
are active. And LAGs and NGOs for DWs have been established for a
longer time compared with most other cities in China.
By investigating these organizations in one city, I can also get more
information about the relationship between these different actors which
could be one factor that influences the effectiveness. (Interacting actors?)
For practical consideration, I did internship in Shaanxi Women’s
Federation (SXWF）in Xi‘an for two months in 2005.
In addition, I lived in Xi’an for four years and am familiar with
surroundings. I have acquaintances there who may provide help to
negotiate access to these organizations.

Ethical Issues
Informed Consent: Voluntary Participation?
Avoid Deception: the risk of exposing them?
Privacy and Confidentiality
My problems

Theoretically
Conceptual framework?
Organizational theory
Institutional theory
Representation theory
Mobilizing Theory
……

Methodologically
units of analysis??
WELCOME
Questions and Suggestions!
Thank you!