Solicitud directa (CEACR) - Adopción: 2024, Publicación: 113ª reunión CIT (2025)

Convenio sobre igualdad de remuneración, 1951 (núm. 100) - Guinea-Bissau (Ratificación : 1977)

Article 1 of the Convention. Domestic workers. In its report, the Government indicates that, following the adoption of the new Labour Code (Act No. 7/2022), the regulation of domestic workers is henceforth partly under the Code and partly under special regulations. With regard to domestic workers, the Committee refers the Government to its observation under the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111). It also notes that section 291.2 of the Code provides that the minimum guaranteed wage for domestic workers is fixed by special regulations. In this regard, the Committee also refers the Government to its observation under the Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26) published in 2024, and notes that the labour minister is currently conducting a preliminary study to determine the minimum wage criteria, in accordance with section 154 of the Labour Code. It recalls that the domestic labour force is composed mainly of women and that experience shows that certain skills considered to be “feminine” are generally under-valued or even overlooked, compared to traditionally “male” capacities. The Committee therefore requests the Government to ensure that the minimum wage determination process is free from any gender bias.

Article 2(2)(b). Minimum wages. The Committee recalls that the determination of minimum wages is an important means of applying the Convention. As women predominate in low-wage employment, a uniform national minimum wage system helps to raise the earnings of the lowest paid, most of whom are women, and thus has an influence on the relationship between men’s and women’s wages and on reducing the gender pay gap. However, minimum wages are often set at the sectoral level, and there is a tendency to set lower wages for sectors predominantly employing women. Noting that the minimum wage determination process is still under way, in consultation with the social partners, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on any progress made with respect to the establishment of a national minimum wage, as well as any other wage rates in the various sectors.

Articles 2(2)(c) and 4. Collective agreements and cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide: (i) a copy of any collective agreements in force containing clauses on wage determination and reflecting the principle of the Convention; and (ii) information on action taken with the cooperation of the social partners to promote the implementation of the principle of the Convention.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. Noting that the Government has not provided new information in response to its previous comments on this point, the Committee urges the Government to: (i) provide information on the establishment of any objective job evaluation mechanisms and the progress made with regard to the study on the national classification of jobs, including minor occupations carried out on public thoroughfares; and (ii) provide a copy of any study or classification adopted to this end, as well as the legislation reclassifying the posts of civil servants, indicating the steps taken to ensure that the reclassification process is free from gender bias.

Enforcement. With regard to training of labour inspectors and other competent authorities relating to enforcement of the Convention, the Committee refers to its comments under Convention No. 111.

Statistics. The Committee refers the Government to its direct request under Convention No. 111.