Back in the 2000s I met a lot of au pairs through work. So though a little out of date, I have a few observations. https://twitter.com/PraxisCast/status/1358086036258230272

I've seen plenty of people say how being an AP allowed them to live in Paris/Rome/Berlin for a year - and yes, for the au pairs themselves, the arrangement tended to work. However, this is true for most people who move to another country to work.

But what is also true is that many such people are viciously underpaid, and using the idea of travel as justification for exploitation of cheap labour frankly sucks.

Lots of employers in lots of sectors are bemoaning how the lack of EU labour is forcing up wages. Well forgive my lack of sympathy. Pay people a fair wage, for fucks sake.

As an aside, many are claiming that having to pay higher wages endangers jobs. This is far from the first time this argument has been used. It was exploitative capitalist bullshit then, and it's exploitative capitalist bullshit now.

Back to au pairs (aux pair?). Much has been made of cultural exchange and cultural capital. My experience is that people who take a year out and move abroad need a lot of cultural capital behind them to be aware that they can do this, let alone have the guts to do it.

So they were almost exclusively middle class, and many therefore had the security of financial help from home if needed. Hmm. Private employers relying on subsidy to prop up their system of low pay? You've got to admit, capitalism has balls (presumably where its heart should be).

Now I'm not necessarily saying that the middle classes don't need a voice in support, but when the people talking about this also show some solidarity with cleaners, builders, factory workers and others, perhaps I'll be a little more sympathetic.

Au pairs, we are told, are not just cheap labour for the rich. Yes they bloody are. Just because somebody doesn't identify as well off doesn't make it so.

For one thing, to house an au pair you need a spare room (indeed you also need to live somewhere where your kid(s) have their own room and don't sleep with parents). I'm sure there's something about people on benefits with a spare room, but it eludes me for the moment...

Child care cost £2k a month, they cry. Why's that, do you think? If you get someone to service your boiler, you'd expect them to have experience and qualifications. But apparently your children don't need this.

Au pairs are kids, with no meaningful experience or qualifications.

In summary, not all exploitative labour is slavery. So however much you tell yourself that you need an au pair, or that they are happy to do the work, you're still profiting from a system of underpaid, underqualified labour exploitation as much as any gangmaster. Sorry.