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

1. In its previous observation, the Committee reminded the Government that, although forbidding sex-based wage classifications is an important aspect of equal remuneration, the simple fact that men and women are paid the same for doing the same work does not mean that inequality in remuneration does not exist. The Committee drew the Government’s attention to the fact that discrimination may still arise from the fact that women are more heavily concentrated in certain jobs and in certain sectors of activity where work is poorly paid in relation to the value of the work performed. The Committee reminded the Government of the importance of eliminating this type of discrimination in order to give full effect to the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. In this context, the Committee asked the Government to supply information on the measures taken or envisaged to examine remuneration systematically and to compare those jobs in which men predominate with those in which women predominate, in order to identify and rectify instances of pay discrimination.

2. Statistical information on levels of remuneration disaggregated by sex. The Committee notes the interest expressed by the Government in identifying, with the help of statistical data, possible cases of discrimination arising from the segregation of women in low-paid jobs. The Committee notes that the survey scheduled for 2006 concerning levels of remuneration disaggregated by sex started in March 2007 after being postponed. The Committee reminds the Government of the importance of incorporating the statistical elements listed in the general observation of 1998 in the survey on wages. Moreover, the Committee notes that the Government would be interested in receiving technical assistance from the ILO to provide clarification on the gathering of statistical data. The Committee hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures to benefit from technical assistance from the ILO as soon as possible. The Committee hopes to receive the results of the survey on wages and again asks the Government to supply any additional information, including documents and research reports relating to this work.

3. Objective evaluation of jobs. The Committee notes that the Government has not supplied information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote an objective evaluation of jobs to enable a comparison of posts in which men predominate with those in which women predominate. The Committee reiterates the importance of this type of evaluation in rectifying inequalities in pay in cases where women and men perform work which is different but of the same value, as defined by an objective valuation of the tasks to be accomplished. In this context, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to its general observation of 2006 on this matter (see, in particular, paragraph 5). The Committee again asks the Government to supply information on the measures taken or envisaged to undertake a comparison, on the basis of objective methods of job evaluation, of posts in which women predominate with those in which men predominate.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.