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Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Singapore (RATIFICATION: 2002)

1. Article 2 of the Convention. Application of the principle by means of laws and regulations. In the absence of any legislation banning discrimination based on sex in employment or requiring equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, the Committee asked the Government to indicate whether it intended to enact legislation providing for equal remuneration in order to apply the Convention. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that the Convention stipulates that the principle of equal remuneration may be applied by any of the means listed in Article 2, paragraph 2(a)–(c) of the Convention, or a combination thereof. The Committee notes that, while Article 2(2) indeed enumerates the means by which the principle of equal remuneration may be applied, the measures taken must be effective in achieving the Convention’s objective, which is the achievement of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee therefore asks the Government to continue to examine whether legislation concerning equal remuneration is required.

2. Application of the principle by means of collective agreements. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the principle of the Convention has been adopted by companies and organizations, including in the public sector, and that it will be further entrenched through tripartite partnership. In this context, the Committee notes that the Industrial Arbitration Court draws attention, on its web site, to the recommendation made by tripartite partners to include an equal pay clause in collective agreements submitted for certification. The Court is also proposing a model clause. The Committee asks the Government to provide supplementary information on the measures taken to promote the application of the principle through tripartite cooperation; and also to provide information on any collective agreement that incorporates provisions concerning equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

3. Article 3. Objective job evaluation. Noting that the Government did not reply to the Committee’s previous comments on this matter, the Committee again asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to promote objective job evaluation in the private and public sector.

4. Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government, particularly concerning the monthly wages earned by men and women in 2005 according to occupational categories. The Committee notes that the gender wage gap (gross wages/mean) among managers was at 20.6 per cent. Among professionals, the gap was 10 per cent, while for technicians and associate professionals it amounted to 21 per cent. The gender wage gap was widest among plant and machine operators and assemblers (35.7 per cent). The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide detailed statistical information on the earnings of men and women, as far as possible as set out in the 1998 general observation, and also to provide its analysis of the causes of the existing gender wage differentials.