Change and continuity: an examination of domestic workers experiences in Mexico

Abstract

The focus of this journal format thesis is on changes and continuities in domestic workers' experiences in Mexico. This is examined in the context of the emergence of domestic work platforms (DWPs) and the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the research analyses how labour control and exploitation in domestic work in Mexico have been (re)shaped by these contemporary events. While extant research has studied the exploitative conditions of domestic workers, particularly international migrants in the global North, the interplay of employer control mechanisms and exploitative practices remains underexplored. How these dynamics may vary given the broader transformations brought about by COVID-19 and the expansion of DWPs requires investigation. Building on the Labour Exploitation Continuum approach, this thesis develops an intersectional control-exploitation continuum framework, which is informed by an intersectional lens. This framework is used to structure the analysis of the multi-layered dimensions of domestic workers' experiences. The primary focus is on a micro-level examination of control and exploitation within the workplace; this is complemented by macro- and meso-level analysis. Qualitative methods were adopted in order to understand domestic workers' experiences from multiple perspectives. This included 24 interviews and online questionnaires with domestic workers, 11 interviews with representatives of domestic workers' organisations (DWOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs), and an analysis of relevant newspaper articles. The findings show that control and exploitation significantly shape the experiences of domestic workers in Mexico. Exploitation, which ranges from subtle abuse to egregious cases of sexual violence, is closely linked to employers' control mechanisms. Different intersectional identities experience varying levels and diverse forms of control and exploitation. In examining changes and continuities in the control and exploitation of domestic workers, the research shows how both the COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of DWPs in the sector represent continuities within changes. Rather than representing a significant departure from the past, these events magnify the persistence of exploitative work and employment conditions in the domestic work sector in Mexico. The thesis contributes theoretically with the development of a framework that challenges traditional dichotomies of exploited and non-exploited and, by contrast, acknowledges the interconnectedness of control and exploitation along a spectrum. It extends understanding of control and exploitation by conceptualising control as a means of maintaining power imbalances and by introducing the concept of hyper-exploitation to emphasise that domestic workers' simultaneously experience both subtle and extreme practices along the control-exploitation continuum. Empirically, the study provides timely evidence of the dynamics of domestic work during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in response to the rise of DWPs, showing that continuities with the past abound. It also contributes to empirical research on labour organising among domestic workers by identifying the intersectional approach adopted by DWOs during the pandemic. The thesis extends the literature on location-based platform work by empirically examining the experiences of control and exploitation of domestic workers using platforms. These contributions are intended to challenge the notion that the exploitation of domestic workers is intrinsic and unchangeable, highlighting the urgent need for significant change in Mexico and beyond.

Date of Award	15 Apr 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Debra Howcroft (Supervisor) & Tony Dundon (Supervisor)