Homeworkers are a particularly vulnerable category of workers due to their ambiguous legal status, their isolation and their low bargaining power. Action-oriented programmes aiming to break the isolation of homeworkers also make them aware of their rights and help them to organize and to improve their bargaining position. These programmes generally improve homeworkers' socio-economic situation through the provision of assistance and support services, and have made substantial contributions to the improvement of their working and living conditions in many countries. Such programmes are an important complement to legislative action, and provide immediate and direct benefits for homeworkers.

This book presents a selection of ten case-studies from eight countries — Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States — as examples of such programmes. Several of these were initiated and carried out by trade unions others by non-governmental organizations. In some cases the home workers have formed thier own organizations, associations or commercial enterprises. The background and history of each case provides the context and describes the problems the programme aimed to address. As the activities progress, progress is assessed and valuable lessons are learned. At the end of each case-study, the authors assess the problems encountered and the results achieved, as well as describing the plans for the future.

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