Waling-Waling

WE ARE WORKERS

Waling-Waling (WW) fought and won a campaign from 1984 – 1997 gaining basic rights for Migrant Domestic Workers. We have reconvened in 2017 to Reclaim our Rights.

In April 2012, Teresa May, then Home Secretary in the coalition government, stripped migrant domestic workers of these rights. She said they would be ‘protected’ under the Modern Slavery Act.

We now have workers without rights but with a promise of ‘protection’ thereby creating ‘victims’ of us workers. Our experience over the years since 2012 shows clearly that there is no protection for us under the Modern Slavery Act.

What is Waling-Waling and Who Are We

Waling-Waling is a beautiful orchid growing in crevices in the mountain areas of the Philippines. During the day it is closed but opens into a beautiful flower at night-time. As migrant workers without rights in the UK we felt like the WW but we also realised that together we could fight for our rights as human beings and as workers. Our members consist of different nationalities but we have one thing in common – we are all workers and many of us are workers without rights.