Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2005, publiée 95ème session CIT (2006)

Convention (n° 100) sur l'égalité de rémunération, 1951 - Ethiopie (Ratification: 1999)

1. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report, which replies to some of the matters raised in the Committee’s previous direct request. It notes that the Labour Proclamation No. 42/1993 has been amended and reissued as Labour Proclamation No. 377/2003, but that the provisions applying the Convention, in particular sections 14 and 87, have not been amended. The Committee also notes the additional explanations provided by the Government regarding the role of labour inspectors in the implementation of the Convention and that the Ombudsperson and the National Human Rights Commission have not yet dealt with equal remuneration issues.

2. Further, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that, while the Convention’s principle was recognized in the country, there was a lack of technical know-how to implement it. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s request for ILO technical cooperation to build up the necessary capacity of the bodies concerned and to establish sex-disaggregated statistical data on earnings. Recalling that promotion of technical knowledge on the meaning, scope and implications of the Convention’s principles and requirements, and the collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated earnings data are essential to move forward in its application, the Committee hopes that such technical cooperation could be carried out in the near future. In the meantime, the Committee asks the Government to make every effort to:

(a)  ensure that the labour inspection service monitor application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value and to inform the Committee on the activities undertaken to this end;

(b)  raise awareness of the Convention’s requirements among the competent authorities and workers and employers, in cooperation with their respective organizations, and provide information on the specific steps taken in this regard, and any results achieved.

3. Article 1 of the Convention. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. The Committee recalls that sections 14 and 87 of the Labour Proclamation use the terms "payment" "remuneration" and "discrimination" without defining them, while the definition of "wage" contained in section 53 is considerably narrower than that of "remuneration" as defined in Article 1(a) of the Convention. The Committee also recalls that the Federal Civil Service Proclamation provides that all "positions should have equal base salary." In this regard, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to:

(a)  clarify whether the terms "remuneration" and "payment" referred to in sections 14 and 87 of the Labour Proclamation are meant to cover the basic wage and any additional emoluments whatsoever payable directly or indirectly, whether in cash or in kind, by the employer to the worker and arising out of the worker’s employment (Article 1(a));

(b)  indicate whether and how the Labour Proclamation guarantees equal remuneration for men and women workers performing work of equal value (concerning the scope of this principle see General Survey, 1986, paragraphs 19-23);

(c)  provide information on how the Convention is applied in respect to those workers excluded from the scope of application of the Labour Proclamation under section 3(2); and

(d)  clarify, in respect of the federal civil service, how it ensures the principle of equal remuneration is applied not only with respect to the base salary, but also with respect to all aspects of remuneration received by public employees.

4. Article 2. The Committee once again requests information as to any commitments or programmes pursuant either to the National Policy for Ethiopian Women or the National Employment Policy, relating to promoting or ensuring equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value.

5. Civil service. With regard to the application of the Convention in the civil service, the Committee reiterates its request for: (1) information on the methodology employed by the Federal Civil Service Commission for fixing salaries for public service employees, as well as for any studies or reviews of such salaries in so far as they raise issues of equal remuneration; and (2) any decisions of the Commission with respect to complaints relating to equal pay.

6. Collective bargaining. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the manner in which the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is included in practice in the process and agreements of collective bargaining and to provide examples of such collective bargaining agreements.

7. Article 3. Objective job evaluation. While noting the Government’s statement that the work performed was the central consideration in the determination of wages, the Committee recalls that the Convention envisages use of objective evaluation methods as an important tool to ensure that men and women do not only receive equal wages when performing the same or identical jobs, but also when engaging in work of equal value. Please provide information on any steps taken to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods.