CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government.

1. The Committee notes that, according to the Government's report, wages above the guaranteed minimum wage, fixed by decree and applying to workers of both sexes, are determined either by direct agreement between employers and workers, by collective agreement or by decree for the sectors not covered by collective agreements. These regulations and collective agreements explicitly provide that they are applicable without distinction to workers of both sexes. The Committee notes that the principal of non-discrimination between the two sexes is also set out in section V(bis) of the Labour Code, which was added by Act No. 93-66 of 5 July 1993. Finally, it notes that supervision of compliance with the principle of equal remuneration for men and women is ensured by inspections carried out periodically or randomly by labour inspectors in agricultural enterprises. The Government also states that the eight contraventions related to wages reported by the labour inspectors do not concern violations of the principle of equal remuneration. The Committee requests the Government to continue informing it of inspections and follow-up visits made by the labour inspectorate in agricultural enterprises, as well as cases in which violations of the principle of equal remuneration are reported, and the penalties and administrative measures applied. The Committee also hopes once again, as it did in its direct request in 1997, to obtain information on the remuneration rates and occupational classifications determined by the committees on agricultural work set up under Decree No. 71/285 of 2 August 1971.

2. The Committee notes the wage scales applicable in the banking, textile, food processing, hotels and insurance sectors, which are appended to the sectoral collective agreements and apply to workers of both sexes without distinction, as well as the wage tables for public officials, which also apply without distinction to men and women. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would transmit, as soon as they are available, statistical data on the distribution of men and women at the various wage rates, and if possible by occupation, branch of activity, seniority and level of qualifications, as called for in its direct request in 1997, as well as the percentage of women officials in each category from A to D.

3. Finally, the Committee once again hopes that the Government will provide information in future reports concerning any inquiry or survey that has been undertaken or may be contemplated for the achievement of the principle of equality between men and women, and particularly measures to promote the access of girls to higher education and vocational training. This is particularly relevant information taking into account the fact that inequalities between girls and boys in education are a cause of unequal remuneration in the labour market, as illustrated by the information provided by the Government in its report for 1996 that account is taken in recruitment and occupational classifications of certain objective criteria, such as educational level, qualifications and professional experience.

4. The Committee finally requests the Government to supply information on the manner in which the principle of equal remuneration between men and women workers for work of equal value is applied in practice. It requests the Government to refer in this respect to paragraphs 19 to 21 and 141 of its General Survey on equal remuneration of 1986.