Since Saturday and entry into force Federal Government Decisions to Address the Coronavirus Crisis, everyday life has changed. To adapt to these measures, many companies have generalized telework, for example, others have changed their operations like some restaurants which have started offering takeaway services.
But for housekeepers, nothing has really changed despite the measures taken. In any case when it comes to providing service, their presence at work is expected and travel to customers must continue. At this stage, the service voucher activity is maintained.
►►► Read also : Coronavirus in Belgium: all your questions about the measures taken by the federal government
“Housekeepers can continue to do their work at home while respecting the hygiene measures recommended by the FPS Public Health. We have taken the necessary precautions to ensure that these measures are strictly observed by our staff at their workplace.“, can one read on the site of a company which manages several agencies throughout the country.
To reassure its customers, the company recalls a series of recommendations, particularly for illnesses. Whether on the side of the household help or the client, the company asks to report the risks. She also asks people who use the services of household helpers to make available the appropriate hygiene equipment available to women workers: soap, towels (preferably paper) and hot water.
–
Cascading customer cancellations and workers’ concerns
But are these recommendations sufficient to reassure both workers and customers? On the professional side, in any case, the fear is very present.
Laetitia Cariola is a mother of two and works for service checks 34 hours a week. “For the moment, it’s the crisis. Total panic for housekeepers since with the coronavirus there are a huge number of customers who cancel their services. They are afraid of giving us germs but also that we are carrying them“, says the young woman.
“With schools closed and workers invited to telecommute, we are even more in touch than before so fear grows, for us, for all the girls“she explains.
“We are also afraid because we are always in contact with the elderly. We are afraid for us, they are afraid for them. We are afraid to carry microbes, to receive them and therefore there are a lot of girls who give unpaid leave so as not to go to work“, explains Laetitia.
►►► Read also : All the info on the coronavirus
A situation that does not appear to be a solution while many workers in the sector are already precarious.
“We can’t afford it anyway. Especially since a lot of women here are alone with children so once she pays their rents, they do their shopping, etc. There is almost nothing left of the salary, since it is very low“The young woman fears a” disaster “and believes that there is a real risk that some of them end up on the street.
“I’m afraid of unknowingly infecting people in their homes. I don’t want to pass the virus on to customers. I have several elderly people and families with sick children among them. Some people cancel benefits to protect themselves, but we are not protected. We are never very protected in this business, we go last”, explains another housekeeper who agreed to testify anonymously for our colleagues in the grenades.
–
Fears of contracting the coronavirus and fears for the end of the month and employment
Overall, customers and household helpers fear coronavirus contamination. Customers have the option of canceling the services if they do so in advance. Home helpers, on the other hand, have no choice but to take time off without pay or to try to minimize the risk of infection by following strict measures.
However, they will not be paid for services which are canceled. A solid shortfall for these workers who come to relieve families and the elderly in daily tasks.
Isabelle Colinet is responsible for a service voucher company in Binche. For her, the situation can no longer continue like this: “It’s exvery difficult, the household helpers are panicked, have questions, and so do the customers. We are currently at 50% of our normal activity and it is decreasing day by day. In my opinion, this cannot continue any longer, it is now time to have something in common for all service voucher companies. ” Advocacy for the implementation of common measures for everyone.
–
Union requests to suspend services
A request for common measures supported by the unions on the common front. They are asking for help from regions which subsidize service vouchers at 75%.
For Sebastien Dupanloup, Federal Secretary of the FGTB general headquarters, support measures must also be taken. For him recourse to unemployment is not a solution because many housekeepers are not entitled to it. He asks that theenvelope (released by the federal government) “budgeted and known by all the regions is used to pay the wages of housekeepers and that temporary unemployment is not used for these because many of them will not be entitled to it and those who could to be entitled to it would only be entitled to a half allowance“.
The sector, which today represents 140,000 jobs in Belgium. 97% of these jobs are held by women and very often they are part-time jobs. Measures could be taken so that the health crisis of the coronavirus is not added to a social crisis which would affect workers who are essential for a large part of the population but yet often precarious.
–
