CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Article 2(c) of the Convention. Collective bargaining. The Committee notes the comments concerning the application of the Convention made by the General Union of Djibouti Workers (UGTD) in their communication dated 11 August 2007. According to the UGTD, there exists a minimum level of remuneration for the different occupational categories, as provided for in different collective agreements and workplace agreements. The Committee would appreciate receiving information on how this minimum level is determined and on how the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value is taken into account in this context.

Article 4. Objective job evaluation. Further to its observation concerning section 137 of the new Labour Code which provides that an equal salary is due for work of equal value, irrespective of the workers’ origin, sex, age, status or religion, the Committee notes the UGTD’s statement that the equal pay provisions of the new Labour Code recognized that an equitable salary must be paid, corresponding to the physical effort made. The Committee wishes to point out that the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value requires that the criteria selected for comparing work performed by men and women are non-discriminatory and free from gender bias. In this regard, it is important that, when occupational categories where the majority of workers are women are being compared with occupational categories where the majority of workers are men, an appropriate set of objective criteria is used, such as skills, responsibility, working conditions, and effort. When the criterion of effort is being used, it should always include both physical and mental effort. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote the development and use of objective job evaluation methods, including in the context of collective bargaining.

Statistical data. The Committee notes that the Government has not yet provided statistical information regarding the earnings of men and women in the labour market. The Committee reiterates that the collection and analysis of such information is an important tool to assess the progress made in the application of the Convention. The Committee urges the Government to take the steps necessary, in the context of improving the country’s labour market information system, so that appropriate data on remuneration, disaggregated by sex are being collected and processed. The Committee asks the Government to provide the requested statistical data as soon as possible.