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With reference to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report.

1. The Committee notes the Government's statement to the effect that a new collective agreement recently concluded between the Zambia Bankers (Employers) Association and the Zambia Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers, which is valid for the period 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1990, cancels the marriage allowance paid to married male employees in group I. Since this document was not attached to the report, the Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of it with its next report.

2. The Committee notes the statistics supplied by the Government concerning job evaluations carried out in 1990 in a number of divisions and units of the "ZCCM" by the Copper Industry Services Bureau. The Committee requests the Government to state whether these evaluations were undertaken with the intention of applying the principle set out in the Convention and, if so, to supply information on the criteria used for the evaluations. It would be grateful if the Government would supply information on the number and nature of the jobs held by women in the units of the "ZCCM" with an indication of the distribution of men and women employed at different levels. It once again requests the Government to include in its next report a description of the activities of the Organization and Methods Office in the public service, and the Management Services Board for the evaluation of jobs according to the principle set out in the Convention.

3. The Committee also requests the Government to supply full particulars in its next report concerning the application in practice of the Convention, including: (i) the salary scales applicable in the public sector, under the general conditions of service of the public service and the specific conditions of service of public and semi-public administrations, with an indication of the percentage of men and women employed at different levels; (ii) statistical data concerning the wage rates and average actual earnings of men and women established by collective agreements, broken down, if possible, by occupation, branch of activity, seniority and level of qualifications, as well as information on the corresponding percentage of women; and (iii) information concerning any surveys or studies undertaken or contemplated with a view to determining the reasons for wage disparities, as well as the measures taken or envisaged as follow-up to these studies.

4. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the measures taken by labour inspectors to ensure or promote the application of the Convention and to attach a copy of the Department of Labour's annual report.

5. The Committee notes that the new Industrial Relations Act of 23 January 1991 makes it compulsory to inform works councils of decisions taken by employers affecting, inter alia, job evaluation (section 106) and gives them the right of veto over certain decisions (the recruitment of new employees and the assessment of their salaries and the payment of bonuses and incentives: section 107). The Committee requests the Government to inform it of any cases in which the problem of the application in practice of these provisions has already arisen.