Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Mauritius (Ratification: 2002)

Article 2 of the Convention. Collective agreements. The Committee understands from the Government’s report that there are no collective agreements applying the principle of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to indicate how it is ensured that, in determining wage rates in collective agreements, the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is effectively taken into account and applied, and the work performed by women is not being undervalued in comparison to that of men who are performing different work and using different skills but that is overall of equal value.

Public service schemes. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, from 2009 to 2012, 16 ministries formulated a sectoral gender policy regarding the formulation of guidelines to set wages on the basis of job content, and in 2013 six are in the process of formulating such policy. The Committee also notes from the Government’s report that the Pay Research Bureau (PRB) which keeps under review the pay and grading structures and conditions of service in the public sector maintained, in its 2013 report, certain gender-specific appellations in the public sector in order to meet the needs of specific and sensitive services and in view of the nature of services in relation to cultural diversity, while recommending the application of the same salary scales for employees in grades carrying male and female denominations. In this respect, the Committee recalls that different salary scales for grades carrying male and female denominations is discrimination based on sex. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the guidelines adopted by the ministries to establish wages on the basis of job content. Noting that an overall review of the remuneration package in the public sector is to be undertaken in 2013 on the basis of job evaluation, the Committee asks the Government to ensure that gender-neutral terminology is used in the salary scales. Please also provide information on the manner in which the PRB ensures the application of the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value in this context and on the results of this review.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods and any progress made undertaking job evaluations in the private sector.

Article 4. Cooperation with social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the tripartite Labour Advisory Council (LAC) has not yet held discussions on the application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. Drawing the Government’s attention to the important role of the social partners in promoting and implementing the principle of the Convention, the Committee asks the Government to take the necessary measures to cooperate with workers’ and employers’ organizations, within the LAC or otherwise, so as to give effect to the provisions of the Convention, and to provide specific information on any measures taken in this respect.

Parts III and IV of the report form. Enforcement. The Committee notes that the Equal Opportunities Act 2008 came into force on 1 January 2012, which established the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Equal Opportunities Tribunal (EOT). The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the following:

• (i) activities of the labour inspectorate in relation to the principle of the Convention, including any case of violation of section 20 of the Employment Rights Act (Act No. 33 of 2008), as amended, detected by labour inspectors or brought to their attention, and the results thereof;
• (ii) activities carried out and measures taken by the EOC concerning specifically equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value, including any discrimination in remuneration cases dealt with and the results thereof;
• (iii) any complaint examined by the EOT, including orders or recommendations issued, in relation to discrimination in remuneration.

Part V. Statistics. The Committee welcomes the recent detailed statistics on employment and unemployment and average wages and earnings for selected occupations in various sectors of the economy, including the public sector. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide such statistics as well as any study available on the gender remuneration gap. The Committee also asks the Government to take the necessary measures to collect and supply statistics on wages and earnings disaggregated by sex, in order for the Committee to be in position to assess the application of the Convention in practice.