Tuesday morning, July 15 the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed bill 2-08, giving domestic workers in Montgomery County a right to a written contract with their employers. Every single councilmember voiced support for this legislation, which is among the first bills of its kind in the nation. (see JUFJ's response here )

"Montgomery County residents who hire nannies, housekeepers or cooks for more than 20 hours a week would be required to offer them a written contract that spells out working conditions such as wages and benefits," reports Ann E. Marimow in the Washington Post .

JUFJ has been involved in this struggle for nearly two years, and our work has supported the campaign in many important ways. JUFJ members canvassed at metro stops, collecting signatures from supportive Montgomery County residents. We wrote letters to elected officials, citing Jewish texts. In 2006, domestic workers spoke in local synagogues as part of Labor on the Bimah, and in 2007, 200 people gathered at the Labor Seder as we focused on domestic workers' rights as a modern-day struggle for freedom. More recently, JUFJ supporters in Montgomery County jumped into action with phone calls and emails to garner one last "yes" only days before the vote.

Thanks to all of you who participated in this campaign. As of today, domestic workers in Montgomery County have won the right to a bit more dignity in the essential work that they do.