The Union of Labor and Social Security Inspectors (SITSS) protests a striking missing piece in the system: a real chance to perform the essential occupational risk prevention self-assessment for domestic workers. The union notes that the issue gained attention yesterday through remarks from the Ministry of Labor, highlighting a persistent gap between public declarations and in-field oversight.
In a memo published this Thursday, SITSS contends that issuing more duties cannot replace strengthening the inspection framework. They compare the current situation to building a grand cathedral with only a handful of blueprints. The union stresses that the Inspection’s strategic plan remains incomplete in multiple areas, despite ITSS proposals that were approved by the Council of Ministers back in November 2021. The tension between new commitments and the actual capacity to enforce safety measures recurs in the union’s briefing.
Yesterday’s session included a draft royal decree focused on safety and health protection in domestic work settings. The document seeks to secure preventive rights for a workforce that is predominantly female by encouraging self-assessments as a means to identify risks. The goal is to empower domestic workers to actively participate in safeguarding their working conditions, with oversight framed as a collaborative process among workers, employers, and inspectors. This approach fits into a broader effort to turn policy into practical protections in home-based employment.
The Union of Inspectors criticized the Ministry of Labor’s messaging about “campaigns and greater authority,” arguing that these statements do not come with the necessary strengthening of the Labor Inspectorate. They point to a workforce with more than twenty years of institutional history, consisting of 1,093 sub-inspectors, 888 inspectors, and 1,173 administrative staff. The message from SITSS is clear: authority must be matched with capacity if safety goals are to become real, not merely symbolic announcements. [Official records, SITSS commentary]
The union notes that signed commitments have not yet produced tangible changes on the ground. Instead, the observed actions are notices and public declarations about further work and responsibilities assigned to the Labor Inspectorate. This disconnect raises concerns about timing and operational readiness, especially given the critical need to protect workers in high-risk, home-based environments. SITSS emphasizes that without actual, measurable progress, new obligations risk remaining as promises rather than protections for workers. [Policy review, SITSS analysis]
Overall, SITSS calls for a transparent alignment between policy rhetoric and practical enforcement. The core demand is a fortified inspection framework capable of carrying out effective risk assessments, supported by adequate staffing, clear accountability, and timely implementation of the home-based safety safeguards outlined in the proposed decree. The union’s stance mirrors a broader debate about how best to translate high-level safety commitments into everyday protections for domestic workers, a group historically exposed to occupational hazards and informal working arrangements. [Cited commentary, SITSS]