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

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Norway (Ratification: 1959)

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Measures to address the gender wage gap. The Committee notes the study published by the European Union in 2002 entitled "Towards the closing of the gender gap: A comparative study of three occupations in six European countries". It notes that the study presents the results of the cooperation between Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Greece and the United Kingdom to achieve a better understanding of the factors behind gender wage differences. The Committee notes the findings of the study that the gender pay gap mainly arises from two sources, namely the segregation of men and women across occupations, firms and positions and the wage differences that consistently favour the male-dominated jobs. The Committee also notes the finding that unions and centralized bargaining tend to reduce wage differentials in general, including the gender wage gap. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken or envisaged to reduce the wage gap and to ensure the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value.

2. The Committee notes with interest the numerous measures taken by the Government to promote women to positions of greater responsibility. It notes the Government’s statement that a new Act on gender balance entered into force on 1 January 2004 under which companies will be required to increase the number of women on their corporate boards to 40 per cent. It notes that the new Act applies to all publicly owned enterprises and, in particular, that if balanced gender representation is achieved voluntarily in public limited liability companies in the course of 2005, the rules will not come into effect for such companies. The Committee notes that this decision will be based on the statistical information provided by the Register of Business Enterprises. The Committee asks the Government to provide a copy of the new Act on gender balance and to provide information with its next report on the results achieved under the Act and copies of the statistical information provided by the Register of Business Enterprises.

3. The Committee also notes the Government’s statement that it has initiated a cooperation agreement with the private sector aiming to increase on a voluntary basis female representation on the boards of public joint-stock companies. The Committee asks the Government to provide information with its next report on the results obtained through this initiative to improve women’s representation on the boards of public joint-stock companies.

4. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the proportion of female executives in local government continues to be low, with only 12 per cent of positions as chief municipal administrative officers being occupied by women. It notes that a project called "Breakthrough" aims to redress this situation and asks the Government to provide information with its next report on the results achieved through this project in increasing the participation of women as executives in local government.

5. Job evaluation and the wage gap. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the implementation of the "Job evaluation system for local authorities" has proven to be both efficient and useful and that its findings reveal gender-related wage gaps in nine of the 15 enterprises participating in the project. It notes that the next step in this project is for the enterprises to adopt local action plans aiming to close the wage gap. The Committee also notes the information contained in the Government’s report submitted under Convention No. 111 that, in 2002, women working full time on average earned 86 per cent of men’s wages. It further notes that the Ministry of Labour and the Public Administration has established a "Technical Reporting Committee on Income Settlements" (TBU) with the task of issuing two reports a year on the gender wage gap. The Committee asks the Government to provide information with its next report on the measures taken or envisaged under the local action plans adopted by enterprises to continue reducing the wage gap and to provide copies of the reports issued by the Technical Reporting Committee on Income Settlements.

6. Article 4. Action plans by the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the principal social partners have mainstreamed measures on equal pay into their ordinary work and policies on wage bargaining and agreements, and that no new action plans have been developed. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken or envisaged by the social partners to promote the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value and the results achieved.

7. Part IV of the report form. Judicial and administrative decisions. Having noted in its previous comments that the Review Board for Gender Equality, established under the Equal Status Act (Act No. 45 of 1978), has the right to issue opinions respecting the lawfulness of wage agreements in relation to gender equality, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that the Review Board of Gender Equality has not yet made use of this power. The Committee asks the Government to provide copies of any opinions issued by the Review Board for Gender Equality.

8. The Committee notes the three judicial rulings issued by the Equality Ombudsperson in 2003 and 2004. It notes that in all three cases it was found that the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value had been violated. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing copies of judicial rulings in cases concerning the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value.

9. Part V of the report form. Collection of statistical information. The Committee notes the Government’s statement concerning the delay in the implementation of the project initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers to improve the collection of statistical information so as to combat unequal pay more efficiently, but notes that the project will be funded as from 2005. The Committee asks the Government to provide detailed information with its next report on the methodology and findings of the above project.