Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Grenada (Ratification: 1994)

Article 2 of the Convention. Minimum wages. Further to its observation, the Committee notes that the Minimum Wage Order SRO 30 (2011) regulates minimum wages of 13 categories of workers, as well as of specific jobs within those categories. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the tripartite Wages Advisory Committee, established pursuant to section 51 of the Employment Act, 1999, is to investigate the conditions of employment in trades, industries or occupations where no arrangements exist for the effective regulation of wages, and make recommendations. The Committee also notes that among the lowest minimum wages are for example, machine operators, cleaners and packers in the garment industry, and domestic workers, jobs which are typically carried out by women. The Committee recalls in this regard that there is a tendency to set lower wages for sectors predominantly employing women, and special attention is needed in the design and adjustment of sectoral minimum wages to ensure that the rates fixed are free from gender bias and in particular that certain skills considered to be “female” are not undervalued (General Survey on fundamental Conventions, 2012, paragraph 683). The Committee asks the Government to provide information on how in the fixing of minimum wages it is ensured that sectors with a high proportion of women are not undervalued compared to sectors in which men are predominantly employed.

Articles 2 and 4. Collective agreements and cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the principle of equal pay for equal work is embodied in all collective agreements. Recalling that the concept of “equal work” is narrower than “work of equal value”, and that section 27 of the Employment Act requires employers to pay men and women equal remuneration for work of equal value, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any steps taken to encourage the social partners to include the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value in collective agreements. The Committee also asks the Government to respond to its previous request for information on the measures taken to assist the Grenada Ports Authority and the Grenada Electricity Services to address the issue of work of equal value. Further, noting the Government’s reference to the tripartite Labour Advisory Board, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on specific measures taken by the Board to promote and ensure the principle of the Convention.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes the Government’s general indication that the appraisal of the jobs to be performed is undertaken through research, surveys, interviews with workers and employers and in “discussion/analysis/consensus” processes. On the basis of this information, however, the Committee is not in a position to assess whether objective job evaluation methods are being implemented. The Committee recalls the importance of the implementation of objective job evaluation to measure and compare the relative value of different jobs, based on factors such as skill, effort, responsibilities and working conditions (General Survey, 2012, paragraph 695). The Committee again asks the Government to provide information on the developments in the review of the public sector job evaluation process, and asks the Government to ensure that equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value will be a specific objective of this review process. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken or envisaged to promote objective job evaluation in the private sector.

Parts III to V of the report form. Monitoring and enforcement. The Committee again asks the Government to provide statistical information regarding the number of men and women in the various levels of the public and private sectors, as well as their respective earnings levels. The Committee also once again asks the Government to provide information on the nature, number and outcome of any cases brought pursuant to section 27 of the Employment Act, and any violations of section 27 detected by or brought to the attention of the labour inspectorate. In addition, the Committee reiterates its request for information on any activities undertaken to increase the awareness of the judiciary and the labour inspectorate of the principle of the Convention.