Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2002, publiée 91ème session CIT (2003)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, as well as the attached documentation and copies of legislation and collective agreements.

1. With reference to its previous direct request in which the Committee asked for statistics on earnings and salary scales in branches of activity in which mostly women are employed (in comparison with salary rates in sectors in which mostly men are employed), the Committee notes the Government’s statement that, contrary to the indications previously given by the Government, these statistics are not available. It also notes that the Government reaffirms its willingness to undertake surveys in private education and the health and hotel and restaurant sectors in Yaoundé and Douala - which are sectors primarily employing women - in order to determine the disparity in the remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value, and that it will communicate these statistics, once they are available. As regards its request for information on the distribution of men and women at various wage levels, the Committee notes that the Government intends to collect statistics in labour-intensive industries in Yaoundé and Douala so as to verify whether any concentration of women exists in low-salary and low-status jobs.

2. Further to the above, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government with respect to the salary scales for workers in the public and para-public service. It also notes the collective agreements for enterprises undertaking public works and agricultural, forestry and processing activities and the salary scales and classification of posts annexed to the collective agreements for CAMRAIL, the banking and finance sector, and dockworkers. While appreciating this information, the Committee notes, however, that the data do not provide any information on the distribution of men and women, according to job category and earnings levels, in these different sectors of activity. Noting that the Government intends to seek the Office’s technical advisory services to facilitate data collection, the Committee recalls its previous comments on the subject and hopes, once again, that the Government will be in a position, with the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations and any other appropriate body, to collect the necessary data that will enable the Committee to assess the nature and extent of any existing wage inequalities.

3. The Committee notes that section 2 of the Collective Agreement for CAMRAIL provides for protection against discrimination on the basis of sex but restricts transport facilities to the "wife and children" of the employee (section 70(a) and (b)). Recalling Article 1(a) of the Convention, it asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken or contemplated to eliminate discriminatory provisions with respect to remuneration, in particular additional allowances and benefits, in collective agreements. It also encourages the Government to consider measures aimed at raising awareness amongst the social partners so as to enable them to avoid the use of gender-biased language in those collective agreements. The Committee also notes that section 37(1) of the Collective Agreement for Dock Workers provides that "in equal conditions of work and professional ability" equal wages shall be paid to all workers without distinction on the basis of sex. It recalls that the principle enshrined in Article 1(b) of the Convention goes beyond equal remuneration for men and women workers for "equal work" or "work in equal conditions", and asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to make sure that men and women covered by the agreement are entitled to equal remuneration for work of equal value as well as for equal work.

4. With respect to the application of Articles 2 and 4 of the Convention, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that it is not excluded from the wage-fixing machinery and that the collaboration with the social partners does not raise any problems. The Committee refers to its previous comments on this subject and asks the Government, once again, to provide practical information on any measures taken or contemplated: (a) to ensure application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the fields in which it can exercise direct or indirect influence on determining wages; (b) to promote application of the principle of equal remuneration in cases where the Government is not involved in wage-setting; and (c) to cooperate with the employers’ and workers’ organizations, particularly the National Consultative Commission of Labour, for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the Convention and of national legislation on the subject.