Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Guinea-Bissau (Ratification: 1977)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. With regard to the Committee's previous request for information on the machinery through which the principle of the Convention was to be ensured in practice, the Committee notes the Government's reply that, as yet, no specific machinery has been established, but that a study of classification of occupations is in the planning stage. The Committee accordingly asks the Government to inform it of progress in completing the classification (supplying a copy of the final text if available) in its next report. Please also indicate in future reports if any specific machinery to promote the application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is created.

2. The Committee notes that the Government does not respond to the last two paragraphs of its previous direct request, and is accordingly obliged to repeat them.

(a) The Committee notes the Government's statement that there is as yet no Ministerial Decision determining the wage rates (minimum and maximum) applicable to the various sectors, except for the public service. The Government indicates in its report that, as regards workers employed by third persons, the minimum wage set out in Decree No. 17/88 of 4 April 1988 has not been adjusted, and that its revaluation is the subject of a study that has been submitted to employers and workers for their views. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on any measure that has been taken or is contemplated in this connection. It also requests the Government to supply a copy of this study and of any legislation adopted in this regard. It also requests the Government to indicate the criteria serving as a basis for the determination of the proposed minimum wage rates.

(b) In its previous comments, the Committee referred to section 166 of the Labour Code under which collective agreements may not contain standards that are contrary to those set forth in the ILO Conventions ratified by the country. As the Government has not supplied information on this matter, it once again requests the Government to indicate whether collective agreements have been concluded since the adoption of the Labour Code and, if so, to supply copies of them with its next report.