Are we celebrating Labor Day at home because of the corona pandemic?

Press release, May 1st, 2020.

Since the corona pandemic, women * have been working with triple and quadruple loads. We do home office. We do homeschooling. We do childcare. We do housework. We do care work. We manage our everyday life at a high level. We are reaching our limits. And we continue anyway. Multiple burdens and unpaid care work for women * is not new - under the conditions of the crisis it becomes unbearable. We give 110% and are only paid 75%.

It is enough!

We observe with pain and anger how existing equality and women * political imbalances and problems are exacerbated instead of mitigated. Refugee and migrant women * in particular are severely affected by the economic and social consequences. The gap between privileged and less privileged women * is widening and solidarity is waning.

There was great applause for people in systemically important professions: these images of strong women *, strong mothers *, strong doers * give hope that our economic and social performance will finally be recognized and valued, because 75% of systemically important professions are carried out by women * and most have a history of migration and flight.

A one-time, symbolic payment for systemically relevant professions is well-intentioned, but not enough! Systemically relevant professions, 75% of which are carried out by women *, need to be consistently and sustainably upgraded. We demand the sustained support of the families who live under particularly difficult conditions! We are ALL systemically relevant and worth recognition!

Nobody can live from applause!

How many women, migrants and refugees have a full-time job? How many of them have a part-time job, a mini job or are even in illegalized employment? How many of the migrant women are currently losing their jobs without being entitled to state transfer payments because their working conditions were purely precarious from the start?

The most valuable pillars of society in Germany, a country of immigration, work unpaid.

They organize themselves in associations, support each other and one another, they build intercultural bridges: Migrant self-organizations mostly work on a voluntary basis and make an immense contribution to society. Empower you. They make you strong. But even they can currently hardly meet the need for advice on the topics of the labor market, protection against violence, education, so that they themselves need support (financial and non-material) from the government!

DaMigra and its fellow wives * organizations call on Labor Day in the Corona pandemic:

Labor market

• The companies must immediately implement the legally required protective measures and extend health protection to ALL employees.
• The work shift schedule for single parents must be organized with childcare in mind.
• Child care must be guaranteed right now!
• Economic revaluation and social recognition of women * in systemically relevant and yet precarious jobs!
• Ongoing information for women * in their first language!
• Multilingual online and telephone advice in job placement for migrant and refugee women *!
• 100% wage compensation in short-time work!
• Take back 12 hours a day! More staff and higher wages in health and care!
• Full payment of wages instead of compulsory leave or short-time allowance!
• Financial support also for women * who have lost their mini jobs due to the pandemic!
• Simplification and standardization of the recognition of foreign educational and professional qualifications! Upward mobility instead of downward mobility!

Situation of refugee women in accommodation

• Multilingual psychological counseling in accommodation!
• Decentralized living for all residents: abolition of the residence requirement and residence requirement!
• Immediate implementation of hygiene control mechanisms for common areas (e.g. bathrooms and kitchens)!
• Access to information about the pandemic for ALL women * in their first language!

Protection against violence and prevention of violence

• More space in women's shelters and refuges, more women's shelters and space also for women * with several children and pubescent sons!
• Refugee women * must be offered places in the women's shelter, regardless of their registered city, taking into account the children.
• The staff at the authorities must be trained on the issues of diversity and gender sensitivity.
• Implement the Istanbul Convention for ALL women *: RESERVED!
• Children need children: emergency care for all children, taking into account protection against infection!

Education System

• Migrant and refugee women * need accessible and multilingual information and education offers, the children need more appropriate support.
• The homework should be sent by post, especially for those who do not have any technical equipment at home (PC, laptop, printer, internet connection).
• Schools should offer telephone access to teachers with a view to parents and students who do not have mobile phones and / or no internet connection.
• Communication between teachers and students should be organized, especially where language barriers prevent educational success.
• Educational guides and online tutors for children affected by multiple discrimination.

Our MSOs do a lot of May 1st promotions. Here are a few impressions of the female migrant association in Berlin and Hamburg:

here press report download