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

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

Gender pay gap. The Committee notes from Eurostat that the gender pay gap (average gross hourly earnings) continued to decrease, reaching 11.9 per cent in 2011, compared to 14.6 per cent in 2010 and 15.3 per cent in 2009. Nonetheless, in 2011, male workers’ wages were higher than those of their female counterparts in most sectors, except for transportation and storage. The pay gap between men and women was particularly wide in financial and insurance activities (40.8 per cent), manufacturing (26.9 per cent) and information and communication (25.7 per cent). Pay differentials between men and women were higher in the private sector (16 per cent) than in the public sector (12.1 per cent). In this connection, the Committee recalls that one of the main objectives of the third National Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2010–14) is the reduction of the gender remuneration gap, with a particular focus on analysing and addressing the causes of pay discrimination, such as horizontal and vertical occupational segregation on the labour market and vocational training counselling based on gender stereotypes, through a greater involvement of the social partners in gender equality issues in employment and occupation. Noting that the Government’s report contains no information in this regard, the Committee reiterates its request for information on the measures taken to further reduce the gender pay gap and address its underlying causes, including in the context of the National Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2010–14), and the results achieved. The Committee also asks the Government to continue to provide statistics on the distribution of men and women in the different sectors of the economy and occupational levels and their respective levels of earnings.

Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention. Objective job evaluation. Cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. The Committee had previously noted that workshops were organized between 2006 and 2009, to introduce the methodology for the appraisal of jobs and job positions to representatives of trade unions and financial and human resources managers of private enterprises. The Committee had also noted that there were plans for carrying out a survey on the implementation of this methodology, which was developed in the context of the National Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2003–04). The Committee had noted further that the aims of the Programme for Strengthening Social Dialogue (2007–11) included promoting the conclusion of branch and enterprises collective agreements, which would include provisions on remuneration. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that neither a branch collective agreement signed between the Lithuanian Journalists Union and the National Regional and Local Newspaper Publishers Association in 2007, nor a territorial collective agreement signed between the Association of Western Lithuanian Trade Unions of Constructors and Designers and the Western Lithuanian Construction and Design Group in 2012 contain clauses on the use of the methodology for the appraisal of jobs and job positions. The Government also indicates that 81 collective agreements were signed in the context of the implementation of the Programme for Strengthening Social Dialogue between 2007 and 2011, but no information is available as to whether clauses promoting the use of the methodology for the appraisal of jobs have been included in any of the agreements. Noting the above, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any other measures adopted to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods that are free from gender bias, and the results achieved. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the steps taken, in cooperation with the social partners, to promote the principle of the Convention in branch, territorial and enterprise negotiations, and to ensure that work in sectors and occupations in which women are predominantly employed, is not being undervalued. Please continue to provide information on any collective agreements containing provisions reflecting the principle of the Convention.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.