Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Ethiopia (Ratification: 1999)

Work of equal value. Legislation. In its previous comments, the Committee pointed out that sections 14(1)(b) and 87 of the Labour Proclamation No. 377/2003, while prohibiting discrimination based on sex in respect of remuneration, did not specify that equal remuneration is required where men and women perform different work, but which is nevertheless work of equal value. The Committee notes the Government’s general indication that the sections of the Labour Proclamation promote equal remuneration for work of equal value for both men and women. The Committee notes, however, that a provision only prohibiting discrimination in remuneration on the basis of sex will not normally be sufficient to give effect to the Convention, as it does not capture the concept of “work of equal value”. The Committee recalls the importance of giving full legislative expression to the concept of “work of equal value”, in order to address effectively direct or indirect pay discrimination that results from the undervaluing of work performed predominantly or exclusively by women. The Committee therefore asks the Government to take steps to give full legislative expression to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and to provide information on the steps taken in this regard.

Civil service. The Committee notes the adoption of Federal Civil Servants Proclamation No. 515/2007, in particular section 7, which maintains the provision that “all positions of equal value shall have equal base salary”. The Committee also notes the reference to the Public Service Position Classification and Scale Regulation No. 2 of 1972, which the Government indicates provides that positions shall be classified into services and grades based on difficulty or complexity, responsibility and qualifications, and that there is no discrimination between men and women in wage fixing. The Committee asks the Government to provide a copy of the most recent revision of the Public Service Position Classification and Scale Regulation, and any information on how it is ensured that, in determining the various job classifications and gradings, the criteria applied are free from gender bias, in particular ensuring that those jobs in which women predominate are not undervalued in comparison with those performed primarily by men.

Collective agreements and cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. Noting the absence of information in the Government’s report, the Committee again asks the Government to provide information on or examples of collective agreements that provide for the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee also asks the Government, in cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations, to promote training and awareness raising in respect of the Convention’s principle among public officials, workers and employers and other relevant target groups, and to indicate any steps taken in this regard.

Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to section 31 of the Federal Civil Servants Proclamation, and to what appears to be individual performance appraisal. The Committee recalls, however, that objective job evaluation as set out in Article 3 of the Convention is different from performance appraisal: performance appraisal aims at evaluating the performance of an individual worker; objective job evaluation is to measure the relative value of jobs with different content on the basis of the work to be performed. Objective job evaluation is concerned with evaluating the job and not the individual worker (see the General Survey on fundamental Conventions 2012, Part V, Chapter 2, section “comparing jobs, determining value”). The Committee asks the Government to provide information on steps taken to adopt and apply objective job evaluation methods in the public sector and to train those who undertake job evaluation. Please also provide information on measures taken to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods in the private sector.

Part V of the report form. Statistics. The Committee had been asking the Government to provide updated statistical information on the earnings of men and women in the private and public sectors. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided such information. Recalling that statistical information is essential to enable an adequate assessment of the nature, extent and causes of the continuing remuneration gap between men and women, the Committee asks the Government to take steps to compile and analyse statistics on the current wage rates for men and women in the different categories of jobs both in the public and private sectors, and to provide information in this regard.