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1. The Committee refers to its observation where it notes the information contained in the comments of the Austrian Federation of Chambers of Labour that statistically the average income of women in Austria is generally well below that of men. The Committee requests the Government to include with its next report statistics on the average incomes of men and women in the various economic sectors.

2. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to supply information on the system for the classification of jobs in the public service, and to supply information on the situation of public service employees with regard to supplementary allowances. The Committee notes with interest the information supplied on those points by the Government. It asks the Government to include with its next report examples of one or more wage scales corresponding to the various employment categories.

3. The Committee notes with interest the documents supplied by the Government on the activities of the Equal Treatment Committee and on the decision by the Vienna Labour and Social Welfare Tribunal of 26 September 1989. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply similar information with its next report. Please indicate in particular whether the Equal Treatment Committee has by now exercised its power to request an employer suspected of non-observance of the principle of equal treatment to submit a report in this respect.

4. In its previous comments the Committee requested the Government to supply information on the provisions protecting workers who initiate legal action to enforce their right to equal remuneration, against dismissal or other forms of reprisal.

The Committee notes with interest the amendment to section 105 of the Labour Constitutional Act (Arbeitsverfassungsgesetz) by Act of 3 July 1986, providing that workers in enterprises with five or more employees can contest a dismissal, on the basis of claims arising from the worker's employment contract, and that the worker concerned has only to provide prima facie grounds for his appeal against the dismissal, and not to submit complete proof. Please indicate in the next report how this provision is implemented in practice.