Care workers in the EU: Feminization of migration and the rights and working conditions of migrant care workers from CEE
Sprache des Tagungstitel:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
Austria, a typical conservative welfare state, has developed into one of the forerunner states in live-in care provision. Embedded in the ideal of the home care society, and pushed by cash-for-care-policies, 24-h-care has become an increasingly important part of the Austrian elder care system. In 2007, the home care act legalized this transnational care model and implemented 24-h-care as a profession. Private and third sector home care agencies broker typically women from Eastern Europe who are working in Austrian households as self-employed live-ins. Their formalized tasks range between housework, assistance for everyday life, and medical care. Tendencies of formalization and informalization as well as of training and professionalization characterize this transnational care arrangement and are accompanied by new controversies over the acceptance and future of the practiced Austrian model. Drawing on a policy and care regime analysis, the presentation first examines how this 24-h-care model is embedded in the Austrian welfare state and how domestic care is marketized. The next step focuses on the perspectives of stakeholders in the field: How do ? among others ? representatives of the Austrian Economic Chambers, of trade unions, and of care workers and receivers NGOs evaluate the more than ten years? experience of the Austrian model and discuss its perspectives? Which inconsistencies and contradictions do they see and which solutions do they propose? The presentation concludes with remarks on the relevance of re-thinking 24-h-care facing changes in the welfare regime. This paper is part of the German-Austrian-Swiss research project Decent Care Work? Transnational Home Care Arrangements. For further information please refer to the website: decentcarework.net