Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

The Committee notes 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:

1. Minimum wages. The Committee notes the wage orders attached to the Government’s report which establish minimum wages for the various categories of workers in a number of sectors. While the rates established apply irrespective of the worker’s sex, the Committee notes that some of the terms used to describe a category of worker are not gender-neutral (e.g. barman, kitchen maid, washman, serviceman, etc.). In this regard, the Committee asks the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that future wage orders refer to the various categories of workers in a gender-neutral way with a view to avoiding gender bias in the determination of remuneration. It also asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken to promote the application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the minimum wage fixing process, including measures ensuring that the efforts, skills and responsibilities required by work predominantly carried out by women are not undervalued as a result of gender bias.

2. Collective bargaining. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that collective agreements did not have specific provisions on equal pay, as there was no need for such provisions because employees were paid the rate applicable to the job, regardless of sex. With reference to its observation, the Committee recalls that the Convention not only requires that the wages due for a specific job are paid irrespective of the worker’s sex, but that the various wage rates are established in accordance with the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. This requires some method to evaluate jobs in an objective manner with a view to eliminating gender stereotypes that eventually lead to an under-rating of jobs predominantly performed by women. Recalling that collective bargaining offers an opportunity to promote objective job evaluation as a means to establish remuneration in accordance with the Convention’s principle, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any steps taken to seek the cooperation of workers’ and employers’ organizations on this matter.

3. Statistical information. The Committee once again asks the Government to provide statistical information on earnings, disaggregated by sex, as far as possible in accordance with the Committee’s general observation on the Convention of 1998.