Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2007, publiée 97ème session CIT (2008)

1. Wage-fixing machinery. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that, based on suggestions from the social partners, a permanent wage-fixing committee has been established chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Labour and Employment for determination of minimum wages in the formal organized sector, tea plantation and agriculture. The Committee also notes the minimum wage notice for tea estate workers published on 12 September 2006 and the minimum wage notice for all other workers published on 15 August 2006. With regard to the minimum wage notice of 15 August 2006, the Committee asks the Government to indicate the criteria being used to assign workers to the different skill levels (unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled). The Government is also asked to continue to provide information on the work of the wage-fixing committee and to provide any new minimum wage decisions.

2. Objective job evaluation. According to the Government, work is being compared and measured “in terms of occupational categories” and “weight or physical effort”. The Committee is concerned that assigning wage levels according to occupational categories, without analysis of the content of the occupations concerned on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, may lead to discriminatory undervaluation of occupations traditionally performed by women. The same may occur when physical effort is taken into account, while psychological and mental effort or manual dexterity are not being considered sufficiently (see the 2006 general observation). The Committee again draws attention to the importance of promoting objective job evaluation methods and asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged in this regard.

3. Enforcement. The Committee notes that the Government’s report contains no information on the measures taken by the competent authorities to monitor and enforce wage legislation and minimum wages. The Committee, therefore, urges the Government to provide this information in its next report.

4. Statistical information. Noting that no statistical information regarding remuneration, disaggregated by sex, has been supplied, the Committee asks the Government once again to provide in its next report any statistical data available relating to the level of earnings of men and women.