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Further to its observation the Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report and asks the Government to provide information on the following points.

1. The Committee notes that, according to the occupational survey conducted by the Latvian Central Statistical Bureau, women’s average gross salary for the month of October 2001 was 81.4 per cent of men’s (compared to around 78 per cent in the years from 1998 to 2000). From the statistical information concerning the average salaries of women compared to men in the ten occupational groups examined under the classification of occupations system utilized by the Central Statistical Bureau for the years 1998 to 2001, the Committee notes that only in one group, plant and machine operators and assemblers, women’s income was equal to or slightly higher than men’s. While the differentials for nine of the groups remained relatively stable or improved only insignificantly, a marked increase in women’s salaries can be noted in the group of technicians and associate professionals (from 71.3 per cent in 1999 to 84.4 per cent in 2001). The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide similar information in its future reports, as well as information on the distribution of men and women in the public sector, the civil service, and in the private sector by earnings levels and hours of work as outlined in the Committee’s 1998 general observation on the Convention.

2. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, although the relevant regulatory acts provide for equal remuneration of women and men de facto, women continued to be paid less than men. In the Government’s view, this is still to be explained mainly by the fact that women are more frequently employed in education, social/health care and culture, sectors largely funded out of the state budget with low average salaries. At the same time, even in those sectors, men generally hold better positions. The Committee again asks the Government to provide information on measures taken to address the issue of occupational segregation of women in lower paid jobs and to promote women’s access to better-paid supervisory and managerial positions, including providing occupational guidance and vocational training to enable women to compete more effectively for such positions. Please also indicate any measures taken to promote a more equal sharing of family responsibilities and to assist both men and women workers in this respect.

3. The Committee recalls its previous comments on the importance of adopting and promoting objective job evaluation criteria as one means of promoting full enjoyment for women and men of their right to equal remuneration for work of equal value. In this context, the Committee notes from the Government’s report that a number of laws and Cabinet of Ministers regulations on the salaries of employees in state institutions have been adopted, including the following: Regulation No. 217 of the Cabinet of Ministers of 28 May 2002 on the salary system for the employees of institutions financed from the state budget, which provide for 24 qualification categories established in accordance with the methodology described in Appendix 3 of the Regulation; Regulation No. 20 on salaries and allowances of state civil servants of 2 January 2001; and Regulation No. 213 of 28 May 2002 concerning salaries of employees of public administration institutions, the prosecutor’s office and the courts. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that these regulations are non-discriminatory with regard to salaries of women and men, as salaries are set in accordance with respective qualification categories which are defined through regular assessments of the positions involving intellectual and physical work, using a specific methodology as laid down in the relevant regulations. The Committee asks the Government to provide with its next report copies of the regulations mentioned and to indicate in which way the assessments described in the report had or are expected to have an impact on the remuneration levels of women compared to men in the institutions concerned. Please also indicate the steps taken or contemplated to ensure that the methodology applied for assessing and categorizing jobs avoids sex bias and utilizes a scope of comparison that covers female and male dominated enterprises (such as the occupations financed by state and municipal budgets).

4. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee once again asks the Government to supply the following information: (1) samples of collective agreements, including wage scales, concluded for sectors or enterprises in which women are concentrated; (2) an indication of the extent to which workers in those sectors or enterprises are employed on piece-wages instead of salaries and the criteria utilized by employers to determine which of these two systems of remuneration is to be applied; (3) information on the extent to which work quotas are used, the types of jobs and sectors in which they are primarily utilized, the manner in which such quotas are set and applied and any measures taken or contemplated to ensure that remuneration under the work quota system is paid in accordance with the principle of the Convention.

5. Part III of the report form. The Committee notes that Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 79/2002 established the Gender Equality Council. The overall task of the Council is to elaborate gender policies and implement gender equality. Please continue to provide information on the activities undertaken by the competent bodies, including the Latvian Human Rights Office, the state labour inspectorate, and the Gender Equality Council, to ensure and promote equal remuneration for women and men for work of equal value. Noting from the Government’s report that in 2001, out of 2,227 applications to the state Labour Inspection, 1,262 concerned salary issues but that equal remuneration cases are not being registered separately, the Committee asks the Government to indicate any measures taken to obtain such data.

6. Part IV of the report form. The Committee recalls that according to the Government a first case raising the issue of sex-based salary discrimination has been brought before the Latvian courts and that the case had been appealed to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed regarding this matter and to supply a copy of the decision once a final outcome is reached.