Report urges formalization of global caregiving workforce

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GLOBAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Martha Ochoa Head of Youth | UNI Global Union

By Sky Industry News

May 31, 2025

A report released by UNI Global Union ahead of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) International Labour Conference calls for urgent measures to formalize the care sector and enhance union organizing. The report, titled "Accelerating Decent Work: Formalizing Home Care and Community Health Workers," highlights the necessity of securing workers' rights and building collective power to meet rising care demands.

Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, emphasized the importance of formalizing the care sector. "Formalizing the care sector is not only a matter of justice—it’s essential for building resilient, inclusive societies and delivering quality care. We can’t fix the global care crisis without improving care jobs," she stated.

The report presents data from over 8,700 worker responses and includes case studies from various regions such as Brazil, Nepal, and Washington State in the U.S., illustrating how union organizing has driven progress toward better protections in the care sector. It exposes challenges faced by workers globally: in Nepal, community health workers are unpaid volunteers; in Pakistan, workers face harassment; and in Colombia, family caregivers work multiple jobs without contracts or benefits.

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María Elisa Alfaro from Colombia's Red de Trabajadoras de Cuidados expressed her concerns: “We have become home care workers because of love... We want to have the right to have a pension, health care, and care for us as caregivers—which we do not have.”

The report also highlights successful cases where union efforts led to improvements:

- In Brazil, community health agents are salaried public employees.

- In Sri Lanka, midwives receive government-funded training.

- In Washington State, home care workers benefit from healthcare and pensions due to SEIU 775.

- In the Philippines, a new Magna Carta promises regular pay for Barangay Health Workers.

- In the Dominican Republic, unions like FENAMUTRA advocate for formalization despite current informal conditions.

UNI Global Union urges governments to ensure that publicly funded care workers receive full formalization and social protections. The organization calls on international funding bodies to require these standards as investment conditions.

Hoffman concluded with a call to action: “This report is a rallying cry... Now it’s time for governments and employers to step up.”