Today, Senator Peake’s bill (SB 179) to repeal the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights was blocked in committee by Virginia Senate Democrats in an 8-7 vote. The bill would have rolled back workplace and safety protections extended to 60,000 home-care workers, nannies and house cleaners under the Virginia Human Rights Act. Last year, Virginia became the first state in the South to enact a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights and ensure this workforce was no longer excluded from state labor laws.

Yesterday, Care in Action, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Hand in Hand, and SEIU Virginia 512 held a workers’ rights rally with domestic workers and supporters ahead of the vote.

Alexsis Rodgers, Virginia State Director for Care in Action, released the following statement:

“Care in Action sends a hearty thank you to Virginia Senate Democrats for protecting domestic workers across the commonwealth. Care work is essential to the economy, and care workers deserve the same respect and dignity they offer to those they care for – children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. Any attempt to amend our laws to exclude this workforce is egregious. Domestic workers make all other work possible, and they must be protected the same way as other workers.

“Senator Peake’s bill is a clear devaluation of the people who cook, clean and care for our loved ones – work that is primarily done by Black, Latinx and immigrant women. This discriminatory legislation would have been a major step backwards.

“We need to protect our progress for care workers in Virginia and raise the standards for working women that includes paid sick leave, collective bargaining rights and living wages for all.”