Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - China - Macau Special Administrative Region (Ratification: 1999)

Macau Special Administrative Region (notification: 1999)

Article 1(b) of the Convention. Equal pay for work of equal value. Legislation. Previously, the Committee brought to the Government’s attention the inconsistencies existing between the Portuguese and Chinese language versions of section 57(2) of the Labour Relations Law (No. 7/2008), which are equally authoritative. While the former refers to “equal work or work of equal value”, the Chinese text refers only to “equal work”, with no specific reference to “work of equal value”. The Committee also recalled that section 9 of Legislative Decree No. 52/95/M of 9 October 1995, provides for equal remuneration for men and women for equal work or work of equal value. In its report, the Government states that the circumstances mentioned in its previous reports have not changed. The Committee wishes to reiterate that consistency between the two authoritative language versions of the Law is essential to ensure full application of the Convention. It also emphasizes that legal provisions that are narrower than the principle laid down in the Convention hinder progress in eradicating gender-based pay discrimination (see 2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions, paragraph 679). The Committee thus requests the Government to take immediate steps to harmonize the language versions of the Labour Relations Law (No. 7/2008) and Legislative Decree No. 52/95/M to ensure that full legislative expression is given to the principle of the Convention and to provide information in this regard.

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