Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

With reference to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes the information and statistics supplied by the Government in its reports.

1. Regarding the proposals to amend the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974 and the Employment Equality Act, 1977 which the Minister of Labour was to have introduced by the end of 1991, the Committee notes that the proposals are being re-examined with a view to introducing broadly based legislation to prohibit discrimination in employment not only on the grounds of sex and marital status, but on a wider range of grounds. The Committee asks the Government to inform it of progress in the adoption of the new, broader anti-discrimination proposals.

2. Regarding the use of job evaluation to establish pay scales in collective agreements or employment regulation orders so as to eliminate underpayment of job requirements found predominantly in the work performed by women (such as dexterity, precision and monotony), the Committee notes that employment regulation orders and registered employment agreements are drafted by joint labour committees where formal job evaluation is normally not applied, but where the drafts are subject to public consultation before being submitted to the Labour Court for approval. Noting that the Labour Court approves such drafts only where it is satisfied that they are equitable and comply with the relevant laws - such as the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974 - and any current national agreements on pay and conditions of employment, the Committee asks the Government to inform it in future reports of any refusals by the Labour Court to approve orders or agreements on the basis that they do not respect the law on equal pay for work of equal value.

3. The Committee notes the Government's statement that, in an effort to determine the reasons for the existing male/female wage differentials across employment sectors, the Department of Equality and Labour Reform and the Employment Equality Agency have commissioned research. The Committee asks the Government to supply the results of this research, which is to be completed in late 1993.