Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Estonia (Ratification: 1996)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s clarification that the wording in Estonian used in section 6(2)(s) of the Gender Equality Act and in section 51 of the Wages Act refers to “work of equal value”. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation of these provisions including relevant administrative or judicial decisions.

Measures to promote equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that equal pay issues were addressed in the context of the twinning project “Equality between Men and Women – Principle and Objective for Effective and Sustainable Enterprises” in 2007 and 2008. The project was implemented with the participation of the social partners and the topics addressed included wage calculation and objective job evaluation. In this context, a set of guidelines has been prepared. A 2007 survey of the knowledge of employers on gender equality showed that 49 per cent of the executives surveyed had not acquainted themselves with the relevant legislation. Only 2 per cent of the companies had compared the average wage of their male and female employees during the recent years, whereas 60 per cent of the companies used job descriptions and 21 per cent undertook job evaluations. The Committee asks the Government to provide a copy of the abovementioned guidelines, as well as detailed information on further results of the twinning project, and any follow-up measures undertaken or envisaged to promote action at the enterprise level to promote equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, including through objective job evaluation.

Articles 2 and 4. Collective agreements and the role of the social partners. While noting that the twinning project has involved workers’ and employers’ organizations,  the Committee notes that the Government has not yet replied to its previous comments concerning the role of collective bargaining as a means to promote the realization of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee therefore asks the Government to provide information on how collective agreements address equal pay issues and on any measures taken or envisaged to seek the collaboration of workers’ and employers’ organizations to give effect to the principle of the Convention.

Labour inspection. The Committee notes that the labour inspectorate has an obligation to promote equal treatment in labour relations and that the purpose of the training programme for labour inspectors under the PHARE programme mentioned previously was to provide knowledge to labour inspectors on how to identify unequal treatment. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the number and nature of equal pay cases identified and addressed by the labour inspectors, following this training activity.

Statistical information. The Committee asks the Government to provide updated statistical information on the earnings of men and women in its next report.