Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Application in law. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided any information in reply to the Committee’s previous comments concerning the narrow scope of section 4 of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, which requires employers to pay equal remuneration to men and women for the same work or work of a similar nature. The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to ensure that any future revision of the equal pay legislation will include a provision that goes beyond a reference to the "same" or "similar" work, choosing instead the "value" of the work as a point of comparison, and asks the Government to provide information on any further developments in this regard. Please indicate whether the preparation of a comprehensive draft law on wages merging the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, is still being considered.

2. Parts III and IV of the report form. Further to its observation, the Committee asks the Government to supply a copy of the instructions issued to labour inspectors concerning how to conduct "relief-oriented" inspections. Please also provide information on the most important cases concerning equal pay decided by the courts.

3. Part V of the report form. Statistical information. Noting that the Government’s report does not include statistical information on the earnings of men and women, the Committee asks the Government to provide the latest available statistical data on wages, disaggregated by sex, and as far as possible according to educational level, industry and occupation.