Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 1996, publiée 85ème session CIT (1997)

1. Further to its previous direct request, the Committee notes from the Government's report that the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value, set out in Article 1, paragraph (b), of the Convention, is guaranteed by the 1991 Constitution (article 38(4)) and the Labour Code (section 151(1)). The Committee notes, however, that these provisions provide for equal wages between men and women for equal work. Referring to its General Survey of 1986 on equal remuneration, in particular paragraphs 19 to 21 concerning the notion of "equal value" and paragraphs 44 to 78 on the concepts of equality, the Committee again expresses the hope that the Government, at an opportune time, will take the measures necessary to incorporate the broader principle of the Convention into the national legislation. In the meantime, the Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report how the Convention is applied when men and women carry out work of a different nature but which is of equal value.

2. The Committee notes with interest the statistics gathered by the National Commission of Statistics concerning the average monthly wages by sex, salary groupings and different branches of activity in the private and public sectors. It notes that, in 1994, the average monthly salary of women represented 89 per cent of that of men due to the preponderance of men in more difficult and better paid jobs. The percentage of women in high salary groups is very low whereas it is generally higher in the low and middle salary groups. The Committee would appreciate the Government supplying, with its next report, information enabling it to evaluate the measures being taken to reduce the still considerable wage gaps between men and women. Referring to paragraph 100 of its above-mentioned General Survey where it stresses the indivisible nature of equality, the Committee also asks the Government to supply information on the specific measures taken to promote women's access to jobs at different levels, in particular better paid jobs where they are still under-represented.

3. While noting that the present statistical system does not permit the collection of data on the distribution of men and women throughout the various hierarchical levels, the Committee nevertheless requests the Government to endeavour to gather and forward, as soon as possible, statistical data on: (i) the wage scales applying in the public sector, together with an indication of the percentage of men and women occupying posts at different levels; and (ii) the texts of collective agreements fixing wage levels in a variety of sectors of activity, indicating, if possible, the percentage of women covered by the agreements and the distribution of men and women at the different levels. In this connection, the Committee looks forward to receiving the Single Collective Agreement signed on 31 May 1996, once its translation is completed.