Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Trinidad and Tobago (Ratification: 1997)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation, which read as follows:

The Committee notes the communication submitted by the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) of Trinidad and Tobago, dated 12 August 2005, which has been sent to the Government for its comments thereon.

Article 1 of the Convention. Discrimination on grounds of sex. The Committee had previously pointed out that the wage differentials contained in some collective agreements between workers and public sector employers, such as Port‑of‑Spain City Corporation, San Fernando City Corporation and regional corporations, which were based on the grounds of sex rather than on criteria relating to the work performed, are not in conformity with the Convention’s principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. The Committee notes ECA’s comment that the Government should implement policies and procedures to eliminate these sex-based wage differentials and to ensure that there is closer adherence to the Convention. In this regard, the Committee notes the information in the Government’s report that it approaches the removal of sex-based differentials in the salary scales in some agreements by promoting objective job appraisal exercises. Noting further the Government’s indication that some collective agreements make express provisions for job evaluation exercises to be carried out jointly between the employer and trade union, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any job evaluation exercises carried out in the sectors covered by the agreements referred to above and the progress made in removing the sex-based wage differentials contained in them. Please also indicate any other measures taken to ensure that men and women have equal access to jobs covered by the collective agreements and to ensure that other such agreements entered into in the future do not include sex-based wage differentials.

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

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.