Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Wage discrimination. The Committee notes that research carried out during 2005–08 by Institute for the Development of Workers’ Training (ISFOL) found 10.83 per cent of the wage differences between men and women to be due to discrimination. The level of wage discrimination was highest against women with elementary education (20.96 per cent) and lowest against women with higher secondary-level education (5.45 per cent); it rose to 12.09 per cent for women with university-level education. For management, intellectual and scientific and teaching posts, the level of wage discrimination against women amounted to 7.48 per cent and rose to almost 15 per cent for artisans and specialized workers, as well as for farm workers, machine workers and operators and non-qualified professions. In “typically female jobs”, the level of wage discrimination amounted to 8.70 per cent as compared to 12.69 per cent for “other work”. Further, the level of wage discrimination appears to be lower in the public sector (7.50 per cent) than in the private sector (12.92 per cent). The Committee further notes that the ISFOL research identifies a number of areas where interventions would be necessary with a view to eliminating progressively the wage gap. The Committee encourages the Government to continue to undertake research on the extent and nature of wage discrimination in the various economic sectors and occupations, including higher level posts, in the public and private sectors. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to reduce wage discrimination against women, including any follow-up action given to the recommendations made in the ISFOL research, and results achieved. While noting the information in the Government’s report on the initiatives carried out by the Department for Equal Opportunities regarding the assessment of the strategic impact of equal opportunities, the Committee would appreciate receiving specific information on how these and other initiatives are promoting the principle of the Convention and reducing wage differentials between men and women.

Public administration. The Committee notes from the Government’s report on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), that one of the objectives of the triennial affirmative action plans to be adopted by public administrations under section 48 of Legislative Decree 198/2006 is the entry and promotion of women in sectors and professional grades in which they are under-represented. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the number of triennial affirmative action plans that have been adopted by public administrations and how the promotion of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value has been reflected in those plans.

Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes that the ISFOL research identified “evaluation processes, methods and contents” as one of the thematic areas in which interventions are necessary in order to reduce the gender wage gap. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken, in cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations, to promote and develop the use of objective job evaluation methods free from gender bias in the public and private sectors.

General appreciation of the application of the Convention. The Committee notes the tables annexed to the Government’s report on annual contractual earnings of 2005–06, which are not disaggregated by sex. It also notes the data on annual per capita earnings by gender of 2002 and the Government’s indication that more recent data will be published (up to 2006). The Committee recalls the importance of providing up-to-date information on the earnings of men and women in the various economic sectors and occupational groups, in the public and private sectors, in order to be able to analyse effectively inequalities in remuneration and progress in addressing such inequalities. It further notes that no statistics are available on the number of violations of the equal remuneration provisions in Legislative Decree 198/2006 detected by the labour inspection services. The Committee asks the Government to continue to supply information indicating a general appreciation of the application of the Convention, including the following:

(i)    up-to-date information on the earnings of men and women in the economic sectors and occupational groups, including higher level posts, in the public and private sectors;

(ii)   relevant case law applying the principle of the Convention as well as information on any findings of the labour inspection services relevant to assessing the application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value (infringements detected, penalties imposed; court decisions); and

(iii)  any discussions of the principle within the National Committee for Equality between male and female workers or by the commissioners for equality.