Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26) - Bahamas (Ratification: 1976)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report in reply to its previous request.

Articles 1 and 3, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Minimum Wages Act 2000, which provides for the setting up of a minimum wage-fixing machinery, is currently being debated in Parliament. The Committee also notes that, while at present the only minimum wage fixed is that in the public sector for government employees ($4.25 per hour), the new Minimum Wage Bill provides for the establishment of minimum wage rates for several categories of workers in the private sector. Recalling that the Government has been stating for the last four years that new legislation better reflecting the provisions of the Convention is under parliamentary consideration, the Committee again expresses the hope that the Minimum Wage Bill will be adopted in the very near future and requests the Government to transmit a copy of this text as soon as it is adopted.

Article 2. The Committee notes the Government’s statement to the effect that domestic house workers and domestic servants are excluded from the scope of application of the draft Minimum Wages Act, currently under consideration by Parliament, and that their minimum wage will be fixed at $30 per day or $150 per week for five days. The Committee asks the Government to specify the legislative or regulatory provisions by virtue of which those rates will be fixed and also provide copies of collective agreements, if any, applicable to this category of workers.

Article 5 and Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the minimum wage rate proposed for the private sector is $170 per week and that detailed information on the number of workers covered by minimum provisions or results of labour inspection will be provided in future reports after the implementation of the new legislation on minimum wages in the private sector. The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to provide all required information on the effect given in practice to the Convention, including, for instance, the minimum wage rates in force by sector and occupational category, statistics on the number of workers covered by relevant legislation, inspection reports containing information on the number and nature of violations observed and penalties imposed, and any other particulars bearing on the operation of the minimum wage-fixing machinery.