Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2004, publiée 93ème session CIT (2005)

1. Article 1(b) of the Convention. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. Recalling its previous comments concerning the possibility of amending the Labour Act of 1997 to include the principle set forth in Article 1 of the Convention, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that the tripartite committee entrusted with the revision of the Labour Act will be informed of these comments. Noting also that the tripartite committee is considering the possibility of extending the coverage of the Act to all agricultural workers, the Committee reiterates the hope that the Act will soon be amended to include the principle set forth in the Convention and to cover, not only all agricultural workers, but also all casual workers. Please also forward a copy of the Act, once adopted.

2. Article 2. Application of the principle in the public sector. The Committee recalls its previous comments asking the Government to provide information on the job classifications in the public service, as well as on the number of men and women in each occupational classification. The Committee notes that the Government’s report refers to a table of statistics on women employment in the public sector, which it has however omitted to enclose with its report. The Committee therefore hopes that the table will be provided with the next report, so that it can assess the progress made in this regard.

3. Article 2. Collaboration with the social partners. The Committee recalls the Government’s statement in its report of 2000 that it will encourage and cooperate with the social partners to make use of gender-neutral language in their collective agreements. The Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide copies of the existing collective agreements for all sectors.

4. Part V of the report form. Application of the principle of equal remuneration. With regard to its previous request to the Government to provide information on the wages of men and women workers and on the specific measures taken to improve the status of women in the private sector, particularly in the non-traditional occupations and decision-making positions, the Committee notes the Government’s statement on article 21 of the Constitution and article 25 of the Public Service Act of 1994. The Committee wishes to point out that while the provisions in the Constitution and in the Public Service Act on equality and equal pay represent an important step towards the implementation of the principle of the Convention, they do not constitute on their own a sufficient indication that the principle is applied in practice. The application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value also presupposes the adoption of measures aimed at correcting existing inequalities between men and women, including wage inequalities resulting from the low status of women and their under-representation in decision-making posts and non-traditional occupations. The Committee also recalls the importance of collecting statistical information disaggregated by sex, in accordance with its 1998 general observation, in order to enable a better application of the principle of the Convention and to assess the progress made. It, therefore, urges the Government to provide the necessary information on practical application in its next report.