Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

The Committee notes the observations of the General Confederation of Workers of Mauritania (CGTM) concerning the application of the Convention, which were communicated on 3 September 2007 by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). It notes that, according to the CGTM, in the private sector wages are only regulated in five branches, and that the situation has become worse with the abuse of occasional workers hired on a piecework basis. It further notes that, according to these observations, during the negotiations held in 2004 and 2005 between the social partners, it was agreed, among other matters, to renegotiate the collective agreements in all branches with a view to harmonizing wages and other working conditions with the rise in the interoccupational minimum wage (SMIG) and the socio-economic situation, but that these new negotiations were never held in view of the electoral process which continued up to the month of March 2007. The Committee also notes the CGTM’s indication that, even though the level of the SMIG has been clearly improved since January 2005 and is currently 21,000 ouguiyas (approximately €60), compliance with the SMIG and its extension to all enterprises is not yet ensured. Furthermore, according to the CGTM, the wage-fixing machinery is not based on any national statistical study on living standards, gross domestic product or the economic growth of the country and consequently the purchasing power of workers remains very low in view of the very high inflation rate experienced in the country.

The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in reply to the CGTM’s observations. The Government is also requested to reply to the direct request addressed to it in 2004.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2008.]