CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report and the attached information.

1. The Committee notes the Government’s statement of its intention to amend the Labour Code of 1997 to set out the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value. Noting that neither the Constitution of 1998 nor the Labour Code of 1997 contains the principle set forth in Article 1 of the Convention, the Committee hopes the Government will take the opportunity afforded by its revision of the Labour Code to include the principle of the Convention. It hopes the amendments will be adopted in the near future and that a copy will be forwarded to the Office.

2. Further to its previous comments respecting seasonal agricultural workers and casual workers, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that the Labour Code applies to both men and women seasonal workers, but not to agricultural workers. Considering that this issue has been raised by the Committee several times, it hopes that the Government will take the opportunity afforded by its revision of the Labour Code to include the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value, as set out in the Convention, for all agricultural and casual workers. The Committee also reiterates its request to the Government to provide information with its next report on the wages paid to both women and men agricultural workers, as well as on the wages of men and women workers in other sectors.

3. The Committee also notes that the Government has failed to respond to its request for clarifications as to whether section 25 of the Public Service Act of 1994, establishing the principle of equal pay for equal work, does indeed cover application of the principle of equal value, as set out in the Convention. In this respect, the Committee recalls the criteria for wage fixing in the regulations which could be used for comparing similar work or work of equal value. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the manner in which these criteria have been applied in the public service.

4. The Committee notes the statistical information, collected by the Directorate of Planning and Follow-up of the Ministry of Manpower, according to which in 1996 women only constituted 3.3 per cent of workers at the level of senior officers, while women constitute 44.8 per cent of the professional sector. It also notes that 34.2 per cent of clerks are women. The Committee asks the Government to provide information with its next report on the measures taken to improve the status of women workers in the labour market, particularly in non-traditional occupations and decision-making positions. It also asks the Government to continue to provide detailed statistical information on the situation of women in the labour market, including information on remuneration that would enable it to assess the application of the principle of the Convention. In this regard the Committee refers the Government to its general observation of 1998 on the Convention.

5. The Committee notes the Government’s request for technical assistance from the ILO for research and data collection on equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and it hopes that it will be possible to provide such assistance in the near future.

6. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that it will encourage and cooperate with the social partners to make use of gender-neutral language in their collective agreements in order to give effect to the principle laid down in Article 1(b) of the Convention. The Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide copies of collective agreements, particularly in sectors where many women work.