Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1982)

1. The wage gap and statistical data. With reference to its observation in 2003, the Committee once again asks the Government to indicate the manner in which policies and reforms are facilitating the access of women to posts of greater responsibility and are contributing to narrowing the wage gap between men and women. While noting the statistical data provided by the Government, it observes that these data do not refer to the various occupational categories of men and women workers. In order to assist the Committee in evaluating the application of the principle set out in the Convention, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide statistical information disaggregated by sex indicating the earnings received and the number of men and women employees in the various occupational categories in both the public and the private sectors, in accordance with its general observation of 1998 (see in particular paragraphs (i) and (ii) of the general observation).

2. Objective appraisal of jobs. The Committee notes the document attached to the Government’s report entitled "Evaluation system of the work performed by employees". It notes that this document refers to the appraisal of jobs and recalls that in its request of 2003 the Committee referred to objective evaluation methods. It notes that the reference in Article 3 of the Convention to objective appraisal of jobs is different from the concept of the performance evaluation of the employee. The Committee points out that the objective evaluation of jobs involves the adoption of some technique to measure and compare objectively the relative value of the jobs performed. Because men and women tend to perform different jobs, a technique to measure the relative value of jobs with varying content is critical to eliminating discrimination in the remuneration of men and women. On this subject, please see paragraphs 138 to 152 of the 1986 General Survey on equal remuneration. The Committee hopes that the Government will adopt measures to promote such evaluation and asks it to keep the Committee informed of the progress achieved.

3. Labour inspection. The Committee notes the attached information materials on the work of the General Directorate of the Labour Inspectorate and its operational plan, which has the objective of strengthening the labour supervision system and the capacity of the labour inspection services. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide copies of the reports of the labour inspectorate on the subjects covered by the Convention, as well as information on any training courses held on this subject.

4. Article 24 of the Constitution. Follow-up of the recommendations contained in document GB.256/15/16. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government in relation to the comments made in paragraph 4 of its previous direct request on the implementation of the measures recommended in the report adopted by the Governing Body in 1993 on the representation made by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Federation of Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Venezuela (FEDECAMARAS). The Government indicates that the amendments to the Basic Labour Act are undergoing their second discussion by the National Assembly and that to a large extent they take up the recommendations of the Governing Body. It also attached a copy of Decision No. 1168 of 15 June 2004 in which the Supreme Court of Justice sets a maximum limit of six months from the publication of the ruling, that is up to 15 December 2004, to prepare, hold consultations on and approve the Bill amending the Basic Labour Act. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the extent to which the amendments incorporate the recommendations referred to above and to continue providing information on the process of the adoption of the Bill to amend the Basic Labour Act.