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1. Article 1(b) of the Convention. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. Further to its observation the Committee notes that for the purpose of section 5(2a) of the Labour Relations Act, as amended "work of equal value" means "work that involves similar or substantially similar skills, duties, responsibilities and conditions". The Committee asks the Government to confirm whether "similar or substantially similar" means "equivalent" for the purpose of the application of the Convention.

2. Article 3. Job evaluation in public service. The Committee notes with interest the job evaluation exercise carried out by the Public Service Commission based on the Patterson Job Evaluation Method, which included three stages, i.e. job profiling, job grading and compensating. It also notes that after the regrading of jobs, a compensation structure was developed for the civil service, taking into account the performance of the economy and that upon completion the job evaluation process allowed for appeals from aggrieved members. The Committee asks the Government to provide copies of the new compensation structure in the civil service, including information disaggregated by sex on the distribution of men and women in the different grades, and to indicate whether any appeals have been lodged after the job evaluation exercise alleging unequal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

3. Job evaluation in the private sector. The Committee further notes with interest the job evaluation exercises undertaken by the National Employment Councils (NECs). It notes in particular that the NEC for the motor industry trained a committee involving the expert consultants and social partners on how to carry out the "Peronmes Job Evaluation Method", which then carried out the job evaluation for the industry. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the results of this job evaluation exercise, including whether it has had any effect on the respective wages of men and women in the industry. Please also indicate any measures taken or envisaged to promote, in consultation with the social partners, the use of the Peronmes method or any other job evaluation methodology in the private sector.

4. Part V of the report form. Practical application. With reference to its previous comments on affirmative action measures by the Government to encourage women’s enrolment in universities and tertiary sectors, the Committee notes that women’s enrolment in technical colleges has increased from 31 per cent in 1999 to 32.7 per cent in 2003, although it still remains low. It also notes that women continue to be concentrated in courses such as secretarial studies, textile design and hotel and restaurant catering while under-represented in others such as automotive, construction, and civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. However, noting that their enrolment in non-traditional vocational training courses appears to be gradually increasing, the Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to increase women’s enrolment in a wider range of vocational training courses and to provide information on the progress made as well as the impact of this progress on women’s access to higher paid jobs. Noting with interest the strategies under the newly adopted National Gender Policy to improve equality of opportunity and treatment in employment, please also provide information on the measures taken under the strategy to promote equal remuneration for work of equal value.

5. Part V of the report form. Statistics. The Committee reiterates its request for information on the outcomes of the project proposal to create a data on labour statistics with the assistance of the Office. It hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to supply the information requested in previous comments (i.e. percentage of women covered by the collective bargaining agreements; number of women and men employed at different levels; number of complaints of violations concerning the principle of equal remuneration) and, mainly, an adequate evaluation of the nature, extent and causes of the existing pay differences between men and women in all job categories and between the various sectors.

6. Part IV of the report form. Enforcement. Noting that the Office of the Ombudsman has not received any complaints pertaining to the application of the Convention, the Committee asks the Government to indicate the specific steps taken by the Office of the Ombudsman to advertise its functions with respect to equal pay cases and to increase awareness of and accessibility to its services.