Abstract
Although domestic workers are an integral part of India’s urban, informal economy; they continue to face marginalisation, stigmatization, and undervaluation of their work. The pandemic aggravated the vulnerability of domestic workers and they struggled to maintain their livelihood. This paper investigates the challenges faced by domestic workers in Goa and West Bengal during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study conducted in-depth interviews with trade union leaders and a survey among domestic workers (n=412) to examine the impact of the COVID pandemic on domestic workers, highlighting the inadequacy of existing legal framework to safeguard their interests during the crisis and explore the collective bargaining capacity of the domestic workers nurtured by the trade union. Primary data analysis revealed job loss, wage reductions, and other forms of exploitation and risks for domestic workers. The study also highlighted the helplessness of trade unions to ensure the basic labour rights of domestic workers during and post-pandemic as well as the lack of collective bargaining power of workers to ensure their basic labour rights. The paper argues for a more effective legal framework to ensure basic labour rights and the inclusion of domestic work as legitimate employment.