Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 1973)

1. The Committee notes the Government's statement in its report that, as regards the way in which the application of the principle set out in the Convention is guaranteed, particularly where men and women in practice perform different work which is of equal value the State makes its decisions when determining wages for the public and private sectors in the broadest spirit without permitting prejudice on grounds such as sex, nationality and other factors. In this connection, the Committee refers to the explanations given in paragraphs 24-31 of its 1986 General Survey on Equal Remuneration, in which it indicates the scope of the State's obligation to ensure the implementation and promote the application of the principle of equal remuneration and its duty to co-operate with the employers' and workers' organisations concerned. The Committee requests the Government to supply detailed information on its decisions in this respect. It also notes the Government's statement that, in practice, starting with the minimum wage, wage scales differ for the central administration, state enterprises and private enterprises in general, which are covered by the General Labour Act, according to the wages and job classification systems that they adopt in line with their organisational and operational structures, and are subject to modifications for internal and external reasons. In this connection, the Committee wishes to refer to the explanations given in paragraphs 19-23 and 44-62 of its General Survey in which it points out that while appraisal criteria such as the skill and output of the worker are sufficient for an objective appraisal of the output of different persons performing work of a similar nature, they are not sufficient for the application of the principle set out in the Convention, particularly where men and women workers, in practice, perform work that is of a different nature but of equal value. The Committee once again requests the Government to supply information on the job evaluation systems that have been adopted in the public and private sectors.

2. The Committee notes with interest the Government's statement that the basic definitions and formulae, "treatment of equal value", "same or equal work", "equal remuneration for the same work" or "equal remuneration for work of equal value", will be incorporated into national law through the draft of the new General Labour Act which, at present, is going through the process of consultations and revision in the corresponding department of the ILO. The Committee requests the Government to inform it of any progress achieved in this connection.