The tasks carried out by women captured in the phrase ‘women’s work’ which forms a vital part of the social process of reproduction and is often unpaid, is not innocent in the sense that it is not a straightforward interpretation of the work that women do. There is an underlying denigration involved as they are monetarily invisible and thereby invisible in official discourses. An examination of the influence of this process as it works in the Indian labour market is attempted here through the work situation that domestic maids in Kolkata face where, despite long hours of hard work, they are in one of the most lowly paid and insecure jobs. The lack of state support, a stagnant economy, increasing competition for available jobs, have come to plague the workers in this sector, most of whom are women. Having to cope with the shackles of illiteracy and the lack of mobility, the domestic maids have limited choices open to them. Domestic responsibilities, like housework and childcare, remain undiminished adding to their burden as social norms strongly favour the male members of the household. Under such circumstances covert resistances both at the site of work and at home have become an important expression of dissent of the maids. However more recently there has been a groundswell of organized movement of these workers at the grassroots level.