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Eight million Americans, 1 million Japanese and at least 2.1 million Europeans can be classified as homeworkers, according to an ILO report( Endnote 1). In many other countries, the phenomenon is even more widespread, with, for example, 6 million Filipinos and 20% of the population in Central Java (Indonesia) engaged in homework. Many Latin Americans also work from home, especially in the garment industry, and the practice also appears to be widespread in Africa.
Home workers are normally paid on a piece-rate basis and they may earn as much as two-thirds less than "in-workers" for comparable work in terms of quantity and quality. There is no regulation over the number of hours they work and they rarely have the same social protection that "in-workers" doing the same work enjoy. "Overwork, in turn, undermines health and damages the quality of life generally," the report says. Women account for the vast majority of homeworkers (as much as 95%) and child labour is often associated with home work.
Delegates to the 83rd International Labour Conference agreed, however, that home work can also yield substantial benefits to employers, workers and national economies. For many workers, particularly women, home work provides an opportunity to earn an income while attending to domestic needs. For some professionals, working at home may even be the preferred option.
In order to assist countries to improve their legislation and their practices in this sector, the 83rd Session of the International Labour Conference, which met 4-20 June in Geneva, adopted the first international comprehensive standards - an ILO Convention and Recommendation - covering homeworkers.( Endnote 2)
Endnote 1 : Home work, Report for the 82nd Session (1995) of the International Labour Conference, International Labour Office, Geneva, 1994. ISBN 92-2-109417-0; ISSN 0074-6681.
Endnote 2 : Vote on the Convention: Yes-246; No-14; Abstentions-152 (most of the employers' delegates abstained). Vote on the Recommendation: Yes-303; No-4; Abstentions-111 (many of the employers' delegates abstained).