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The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report, including statistical tables.

1. The statistical tables supplied by the Government in its report reflect that the disparity between the hourly and monthly rates of remuneration of men and women workers in Israel remains markedly high. In 1993, women's average hourly wage was 80 per cent that of men's. By 1997, women's average hourly rate of remuneration had increased only slightly, to 83 per cent of men's hourly wage. This gender-based wage disparity is even greater in the context of the average monthly earnings of men and women workers. In 1993, women's average monthly earnings were 58 per cent of men's; in 1997, women's average monthly earnings were 63 per cent of men's. The tables supplied by the Government show similar disparities in the hourly and monthly rates of remuneration of men and women workers across all sectors of the national economy. In light of these figures, the Government is asked to provide information in its next report on the reasons for the marked differentials between the hourly and monthly earnings of men and women.

2. The Committee notes that this marked disparity between the wages of men and women has persisted despite the adoption of the Workers Equal Pay Act of 1996 (the "Act"), at which the Committee had expressed its satisfaction in 1996. The Government refers to other measures in the Act that are intended to reduce the existing wage gap. For example, under the Act the Labour Court may impose the costs of job evaluations on the State where such evaluations are necessary to determine the nature of the work in question. Additionally, employers are required to furnish their workers with information as to the wage grades in the enterprise according to skills, professions and levels of responsibility. The Government is asked to indicate whether the Labour Court has ordered that job evaluations be conducted in any cases to date, and to provide copies of any such decisions and of any evaluations undertaken as a result. Further, the Government is asked to provide information regarding the wage grades in the different sectors of the civil service.

3. The Committee notes that section 2 of the Act provides, inter alia, that "male and female employees, employed by the same employer in the same workplace, are entitled to equal pay for equal work, essentially equal work or equivalent work". Section 14(1) of the Act further provides that, where the State is the employer, "every department, as defined in section 1 of the State Service (Appointments) Act 5719-1959, shall be deemed a separate workplace". The Committee recalls that the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value extends beyond cases where work is performed in the same establishment, and beyond jobs performed by both sexes. In applying the principle of the Convention, the reach of the comparison between the jobs performed by men and women should be as wide as allowed by the level at which wage policies, systems and structures are coordinated (see General Survey on equal remuneration, 1986, paragraph 22). Please indicate the measures taken or envisaged by the Government to ensure the application of the principle of the Convention to all public sector workers regardless of the department or sector in which they are employed.

4. In respect of the 1995 amendments to the State Service (Appointments) Act (Adequate Representation) (Amendment No. 7), the Committee requests the Government to indicate any progress made to date in improving the representation of women in the civil service, as well as whether this measure has had a positive impact on application of the principle of the Convention to women and men in the civil service. The Government is also asked to provide statistical information in its next report regarding the distribution of men and women workers at the different levels and in the different sectors of the civil service, as well as to provide a copy of the 1995 amendments.

5. The Committee notes with interest the information supplied by the Government indicating that an Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women was recently established under the auspices of the Prime Minister's Office, in accordance with the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women Act, 1998. The Committee further notes that the Knesset Committee, established as a permanent (standing) committee in January 1996, has been charged with a number of tasks, including the reduction of wage gaps in the economy and in the labour market in Israel. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the activities of the Authority and the Knesset Committee, as well as of the National Advisor on the Status of Women, particularly with regard to monitoring the implementation of the Convention in Israel.

6. The Committee notes that, according to the Government's report, there have been no additional developments with regard to the job evaluation project in the civil service due to lack of agreement between the workers' and employers' organizations. Noting once again the importance of appropriate cooperation with the social partners in accordance with Article 4 of the Convention, the Committee requests the Government to indicate what efforts have been made to promote such cooperation and achieve the resumption of the project. The Committee reiterates its request that the Government indicate whether job evaluation projects such as the one implemented in Payis (the Israeli Lottery) have been instituted in other ministerial departments, state and municipal bodies or private sector enterprises. It also asks the Government to provide further information regarding two projects referred to in its previous report concerning the determination and definition of social workers' jobs in hospitals, in local municipalities and the national water system corporation.

7. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding violations of the Minimum Wage Act registered by the labour inspection service. The Government is requested to provide information in its next report regarding labour inspections conducted during the reporting period to monitor compliance with the principle of equal remuneration, indicating the number and nature of violations registered, the action taken to remedy infractions, and the penalties imposed.