Bai-nomics: maid management

There have been talks for a long time about corporatising the unorganised labour, especially the housemaids or bais as we know them. Some of the demands on their behalf are regularised pay structure, defined hours of work, regular holidays, and a month off every year.

Ask any Mumbaikar, housewife or bachelor, and they will agree the most important member of any household is the bai. And it is here that I can say with some satisfaction that corporatisation of the bais may be the best thing that can happen to us, their employers. Let me explain by taking up each point.

Regularised pay structure: The bais definitely deserve regularised pay with rules laid down on increment and bonuses. I am sure every Mumbai household has suffered from the threat “pagar badha ke do varna main kaam chodd degi” (increase my pay or I will not work here anymore). The familiarity and the headache of finding another bai makes us comply to these extortions at least once a year. A regularised pay structure will put a stop to the persistent demand for ‘udhari’ (yet another form of extortion). The bai then continues with her extortionist ways, secure in the knowledge that the hapless employer can’t kick her out unless the money is returned.

Also, the bonus, that these bais think is their birthright, should be linked to performance with due appraisals, as is done in corporates. Here, the employers also get a chance to practice cost cutting citing inflation.

Definite hours of work: Again, this will work out to the employers’ benefit. How many of us spend the day fretting about whether the bai has come or not. Like we have our office hours (a particular time of entry, but no fixed time to leave unless the work is done) so should the bais, too. A fixed time will save us a lot of headache and also if the bai is late, for say more than twice a week, there should be an option to cut pay. Again, if there is more work, say the employer has guests, the bai should work without complaints (do we dare complain to our boss about the extra work). And as in corporates, there will be no compensation for the extra work. Due consideration will be given to the extra effort put in at the time of appraisal, but at the employers’ discretion.

Regular holidays: As in corporates, the bais will also be entitled to regular holidays. But let’s face it, many of us end up working when we are supposed to have our weekly off. Even the comp offs that we get are at the employer’s discretion. Imagine having the power to tell the almighty bai that she has to work on her day off since we need her to. And the best part is, she can’t refuse. Of course, she can always take an off citing poor health, like most of us do, but don’t they do that already.

Space runs out, so to conclude: Corporatisation of the bais is indeed a very good idea for the employers, but do we see a lot of bais opting for it? No, we won’t, because they know that they have us in a corner now, but corporatisation can leave them to our mercy.