Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 1994, publiée 81ème session CIT (1994)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report in reply to its previous direct request.

1. The Committee notes the Government indication that there have not as yet been any major amendments to the national legislation affecting the Convention. It nevertheless notes with interest that the Labour Code is being revised and that the draft new Code, which was sent to the ILO for comments in 1993, guarantees, in section 31.2, equal remuneration for work of equal value for all workers, regardless, inter alia, of their sex. It hopes that the draft new Labour Code will be adopted shortly and that the Government will send a copy of the amended text as soon as possible.

2. Pending the adoption of the new Code, the Committee notes that the Government refers in its report to section L-80 of the Labour Code currently in force which provides that all workers, regardless of their origin, sex, age and status, shall receive equal pay for equal conditions of work, occupational skill and output. The Committee recalls that although evaluation criteria such as a worker's skill or output allow an objective assessment of the performance of different people engaged in work of a similar nature, they are not a sound enough basis for the application of the principle laid down in the Convention, particularly where men and women in practice perform work of a different nature but of equal value. Furthermore, the output criterion could lead to the creation of different wage groups on the basis of the average output of each sex. The Committee therefore asks the Government to indicate any measures taken or contemplated to give practical effect to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers, particularly where their work is of a different nature but of equal value.

3. The Committee notes the Government's statement that it has not been possible to implement the project to conduct studies on the evaluation and classification of jobs referred to in its previous reports owing to lack of funds. It adds that it hopes to relaunch the project with ILO assistance. The Committee asks the Government in its next report to provide information on the steps taken to conduct these studies, possibly in cooperation with the ILO, and on the results obtained.