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Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - French Polynesia

Other comments on C100

Observation

1992

Direct Request

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Articles 1 to 4 of the Convention. Appraise and eliminate the gender wage gap and its underlying causes. The Committee notes the statistical data provided by the Government on the distribution of women and men by sector of activity which indicate persistent occupational segregation. Regarding the data on wages, the Committee particularly notes that for 2018, the average full-time equivalent monthly net wage for men was F CFP268,000 and F CFP258,000 for women, amounting to 3.7 per cent less – the same average differential as in 2017. The Committee notes however that this slight average wage gap does not reflect the real gender wage gap – as indicated in “Points Etudes et Bilans de la Polynésie française, No. 1268” (French Polynesian studies and reports, No. 1268), published by the Statistical Institute of French Polynesia (ISPF) based the 2018 Employment Survey. That document stresses the persistence of gender wage gaps despite close average wages. Effectively, according to the Government, women represent 46 per cent of employees in the public sector where wages are higher – while only 47 per cent of women work, compared to 60 per cent of men (2022 Employment Survey) and, according to the ISPF, for those with higher education diplomas, the 2022 gender wage gap was 18.5 per cent. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that disparities in remuneration are connected to the different categories of employment and to the concentration of feminine employment in cleaning, the arts and the administration. In that connection, the Committee refers to its direct request concerning the application of the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), regarding occupational gender segregation. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the gender wage gaps in the different private sector activities, and on the measures taken to examine and treat their causes, such as the concentration of women in certain sectors or in lower wage jobs.

Articles 2 and 3. Minimum wages. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in sectors of activity covered by a collective agreement, jobs are generally categorized according to an occupational classification by type of personnel and on the basis of skill levels, and that minimum wages are fixed by these sectoral collective agreements for each category of job. In this connection, the Committee wishes to recall that in its 2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions, it stresses that as women generally predominate in low-wage employment, and a uniform national minimum wage system helps to raise the earnings of the lowest paid, the system has an influence on the relationship between men and women’s wages and on reducing the gender pay gap. It adds that as a result of such occupational segregation, special attention is needed in the design or adjustment of sectoral minimum wage schemes to ensure that the rates fixed are free from gender bias, and in particular that certain skills considered to be “female” are not undervalued. The Committee recalls that the Convention does not prescribe any specific method for such an examination, but Article 3 presupposes the use of appropriate techniques for objective job evaluation, comparing factors such as the skills required to accomplish a given task, effort to be expended as well as responsibilities and working conditions at the work post. In that regard, collaboration between employers and workers is particularly important for determining and weighting the criteria for job evaluation (see the 2012 General Survey, paragraphs 683, 695–696 and 705–706). The Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to ensure that employers’ and workers’ organizations, when setting or adjusting minimum wages in collective agreements: (1) take account of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value; and: (2) use objective job evaluation methods free from gender bias. It also requests the Government to provide information on the methods used by the social partners to fix or adjust minimum wages.

Enforcement. Labour inspectorate. The Committee notes that the Government simply reiterates that: (1) no pay disparities have been reported to the labour inspectorate nor recorded by labour controllers; and: (2) there are no disputes in this respect. It nonetheless wishes to stress in this connection that the low number of violations observed, or complaints made does not mean that there is no gender wage gap in French Polynesia. Given the statistical data revealing the persistent gender wage gap, the Committee again encourages the Government to conduct awareness-raising activities for labour inspectors on matters related to the wage gap. It requests the Government to provide information on any preventive or supervisory measure applied by the labour inspectorate to promote and ensure respect for the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee requests the Government to send all extracts of inspection reports recording any wage gaps and copies of any court decisions relating to this issue.