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1. The Committee notes the comments of the following workers’ and employers’ organizations, which where included in the Government’s report: the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK), the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals in Finland (AKAVA), the Commission for Local Authority Employers (KT) and the State Employer’s Office (VTML).

2. Incomes policy agreement. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that one of the key objectives of the latest incomes policy agreement (2005–07) is the reduction of pay differentials between men and women. The EK, SAK, STTK and AKAVA indicate that efforts are under way to establish a common method of difficulty assessment with the intention of developing pay systems based on the difficulty of the tasks involved. The Committee would welcome receiving any information on the effects of the incomes policy agreement and the common method of difficulty assessment in reducing pay differentials between men and women.

3. Collective agreements. The Committee notes that, under the amended Act on Equality between Men and Women, pay comparisons should also be made across collective agreements (The Act on Equality between Women and Men 2005, Ministry for Social Affairs and Health, Gender Equality Publications, 2005:2, page 16). The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any efforts taken or envisaged to promote the application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value through collective agreements, including information on the promotion of job evaluation and classification that facilitate the application of the principle within and between different sectors of employment.

4. Public sector pay systems. Recalling its previous comments concerning the introduction of new difficulty-based pay systems for government employees, the Committee notes from the Government’s report that, as of 30 November 2005, the new systems apply to all employees concerned. The Government indicates that at this stage it was difficult to assess the effects of the new system on women’s and men’s pay and the gender pay gap. The Committee asks the Government to take the necessary steps to monitor the effects of the new pay system on the remuneration received by male and female government employees and to provide information on the results of such an analysis in its next report. Noting KT’s indication that new municipal pay systems are being developed which will be based on personal skills and job demands, the Committee asks the Government to keep it informed on the progress made in this regard and on the manner in which the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is being taken into account in this context.

5. Gender-based occupational segregation. Further to its previous comments on this issue, the Committee notes EK’s and KT’s concerns regarding the persistent high level of gender-based occupational segregation. It notes from the Government’s report that a working group, comprised of representatives from the school and university systems, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, and the social partners, in early 2004, recommended several changes concerning the content of education, training for teachers, and student counselling, with a view to promoting gender equality and reducing segregation in training and education. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the follow-up action taken to the recommendations of this working group and on the specific measures to reduce horizontal and vertical occupational segregation within the equal pay programme, including social partner initiatives.

6. Part-time and fixed-term employment. With regard to part-time and fixed-term employment, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the occupational safety and health authorities are responsible for supervising the application of section 2 of the Employment Contract Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of part-time or fixed-term employment. The Committee also notes that the Minister of Labour has commissioned a study on the prevalence of fixed-term employment, examining the issue from a perspective of gender equality and the requirements of the Act on Equality between Women and Men. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the findings of this study and on any other measures taken to further assess and address the impact of part-time and fixed-term employment on the gender pay gap. Please also indicate whether the occupational safety and health authorities have dealt with any cases concerning unequal treatment in respect of remuneration of part-time or fixed-term employees and, if so, the outcome of such cases.