Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period 1991-93.

1. The Committee recalls that the Male and Female Workers (Equal Pay) Act, No. 5724-1964, provides for equal remuneration for men and women for the same work, or work which is essentially the same, whereas the principle laid down by the Convention requires equal remuneration for work of equal value (Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention). The Committee considers that this provision should be reviewed and once again asks that it be brought into conformity with the Convention.

2. The Committee notes from the statistics sent by the Government that the gap between men's and women's wages, in all sectors taken together, was 22 per cent for hourly rates and 43 per cent for monthly wages in 1989, 18 per cent and 45 per cent respectively in 1990, 23.5 per cent and 44 per cent in 1991, and 24 per cent and 44 per cent in 1992. The Committee points out that, since considerable disparities between men and women's pay have existed for years, with no notable improvement, measures should rapidly be adopted to reduce them. The Committee again suggests that the Government apply the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value by one of the means provided for in Article 2, paragraph 2, or a combination of them. It asks the Government to inform it of the measures taken, or envisaged in the near future, to reduce these substantial disparities in wages and give full effect to the principle of the Convention.

3. With regard to the application of Article 4, the Committee recalls that the systems for fixing wages are based, in certain sectors, on a job evaluation carried out by the Israeli Institute of Productivity which is responsible for conducting job analysis projects and that their review had been delayed owing to the economic recession. A 1989 report recommended a job evaluation project in the public sector with a view to reforming the wages system. The Committee notes that the job evaluation project which is to form a basis for a uniform wage scale for the whole of the public sector is under way and that other job analysis projects are being carried out in certain sectors of activity. The Committee hopes that these projects will be completed in the near future and that a reformed wage system will give effect to the principle of equal remuneration. It asks the Government to provide information on this matter in its next report.

The Committee asks the Government to continue to supply statistics of wage rates and the average actual earnings of men and women, and the wage scales applying in the public sector, with an indication of the percentage of men and women employed at different levels.

4. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would send detailed information on the activities of the Women's Bureau of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which, according to the report, are the same as in previous years. The Committee notes with interest that the Histadrut, through its department for the advancement of women workers, is actively engaged in eliminating discrimination against women in employment. The Committee noted previously that, according to the Government, problems of discrimination were dealt with by trade unions and women's organizations, rather than by agencies of the Ministry.

5. The Committee again asks the Government to provide information in its next report on the measures taken to ensure supervision of the application of the provisions of the law concerning equal remuneration and, in particular, on the activities of the inspection services (infringements recorded, penalties imposed), and to continue to provide information on court decisions on this subject.