Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2008, publiée 98ème session CIT (2009)

Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention. Payment of wages at regular intervals. The Committee notes the Government’s explanations in response to the observations made by the General Confederation of Workers of Mauritania (CGTM). More concretely, the Government indicates that rising prices are difficult to control because of the adverse international conjuncture, in particular the oil and cereal price increases. It announces its intention to deal with the crisis in a proactive manner, for instance by reviewing wage taxation scales, especially for low incomes, and by offering subsidies in order to stabilize the price of bread. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on any measures designed to contain prices of basic consumer goods and accordingly protect workers’ income. In this connection, the Committee also asks the Government to refer to its comments made under Convention No. 26.

In addition, the Committee recalls its previous comment in which it had requested the Government to examine any situation which would be inconsistent with the principle of regular payment of wages with the necessary rigour and efficiency so as to ensure the application of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to be particularly attentive to any problems of accumulated wage arrears, like those experienced in the past, and to take serious and meaningful steps in order to prevent their recurrence.