Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Ecuador (Ratification: 1957)

Wage gap. The Committee notes that, according to the study “A gender view of public employment in Ecuador”, prepared by the National Council for Women (CONAMU), the National Technical Secretariat for Human Resources Development and Remuneration in the Public Sector (SENRES), the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, FES–ILDIS and Public Services International (PSI), the average earnings of women in public employment amount to 82 per cent of those of men. The study also indicates that the activities mainly carried out by women, namely teaching and health care, are those in which earnings are lower. The Committee notes that the study also emphasizes the high level of vertical segregation that exists in the social services and health-care branch, in which women are employed in the lowest paid categories. The Committee observes that, according to the study, there are marked patterns of vertical segregation in the public administration in municipal authorities and provincial councils, with a minimum level of participation by women in the higher hierarchical levels. The Committee further notes that, according to the Government’s report, SENRES issued a resolution, which has been in force since January 2009, replacing the previous wage categories of public sector employees by the approved wage scale. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures that are being taken to reduce the wage gap that exists in the public sector and those intended to eliminate vertical segregation in the social services and health-care branch, and in public administration in municipal authorities and provincial councils. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the measures that are being developed for the adoption of policies intended to promote and ensure the access of women to a broader range of sectors and occupations with higher levels of responsibility and remuneration, including through the appropriate supply of vocational training and education. Please also continue providing statistical data on the remuneration levels of men and women in the various sectors of activity disaggregated by occupational category and position and, in so far as possible, by colour and race, so that the Committee can assess the progress achieved.

Article 1(b) of the Convention. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. The Committee notes with interest that the new Constitution, in article 326(4), provides that “equal remuneration shall be paid for work of equal value”, thereby giving expression in law to the Convention. The Committee further notes that a Bill to reform the Labour Code has been submitted to the Constituent Assembly. Recalling that for several years the Committee has been indicating in its comments that the terms of section 79 of the Labour Code are narrower than the principle set out in the Convention, the Committee hopes that the Government will take this opportunity to bring section 79 of the Labour Code into harmony with Article 1 of the Convention, thereby giving full expression to the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. Please provide information on the progress achieved in the amendment of this section.

Article 2. Promotion of the principle of the Convention. The Committee notes that the national councils, including the CONAMU, and the programmes that are being undertaken within this framework are in the process of being institutionalized to become bodies responsible for planning the public policy of equality in accordance with articles 156 and 157 of the new Constitution. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the progress made in this process with regard to policies and programmes intended to give effect to the principles of the Convention.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the manner in which objective job evaluation is promoted, including information on the manner in which the National Wage Council promotes the use of methodologies for objective job evaluation with a view to determining wages in the private sector.

Article 4. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes that in May 2009 the Regional Meeting on Wage Equity was held in Quito. The discussions focused on strategies to promote the exchange of experiences relating to social dialogue processes to achieve equity between men and women in remuneration. Please provide information on the measures adopted in collaboration with workers’ and employers’ organizations with a view to giving effect to the principle of the Convention.

Labour inspection. Please provide information on cases of violations of the principle of the Convention identified by the labour inspection services.