Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report indicating, among other matters, that some 40,000 agricultural workers in the country are actually covered by the minimum wage rates established by collective agreement. With reference to Article 5 of the Convention and Part V of the report form, and in order to be in a position to assess the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate in its next report, in addition to the minimum wage rates established by collective agreements, the coverage of such agreements. Furthermore, while requesting the Government to continue providing information on the application of the Convention in both law and practice, the Committee would also be grateful if it would provide, in accordance with Article 2 of the Convention, fuller information on current practices as regards the partial payment of wages in kind in agriculture.

Noting that an important proportion of the collective agreements in force in agriculture authorize the payment to workers under 18 years of age of minimum monthly wages that are lower than those of adult workers, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether, in accordance with paragraph 176 of its General Survey of 1992 on minimum wages, it is planned to re-examine the reasons that prompted the adoption of lower minimum wage rates for groups of workers on account of their age.