Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - France (Ratification: 1953)

The Committee notes with interest the Government’s report and the attached information.

1. The Committee notes the numerous initiatives that the Government is continuing to take to promote occupational equality between men and women and, in this respect, it refers to its comments under Convention No. 111. It would be grateful if the Government would provide detailed information in its next report on the impact of the various different measures adopted to improve the implementation in practice of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

2. The Committee notes that section 4 of Act No. 2001-1066 to Combat Discrimination of 16 November 2001 amends several sections of the Labour Code, including section L.136-2, under which employers are obliged to follow up each year the implementation of collective agreements on the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value and to analyse the causes of inequalities. The Committee asks the Government to provide detailed information with its next report on the findings of these follow-up activities and analyses. In its earlier comments, the Committee asked the Government to draw the attention of the social partners to the fact that the wording "equal wages for equal work" in the collective agreements does not cover the whole scope of the principle of "equal remuneration for work of equal value", which is also set forth in section L.140-2 of the Labour Code. It is therefore bound to reiterate this request and ask the Government to provide information with its next report on the action taken in this respect.

3. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, in accordance with the National Action Plan for Employment, 2000, the reduction of the wage gap between men and women workers is a priority goal for the Government and that one of the objectives is to develop a methodology for the analysis of the principle of "work of equal value". The Committee also notes that the Higher Council for Occupational Equality is pursuing its activities to promote occupational equality between men and women workers and that a new working group was set up in 2000 to develop an analytical model and to examine the concept of "equal remuneration for work of equal value". The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the conclusions of this working group with its next report and provide information on the methodology used comparing work of equal value.

4. The Committee further notes the copy of the study provided by the Government on the differences in professional careers as from the first job, which states that the wage gap between men and women workers is greater for the new generation than for the previous generation. It notes the explanation that this is caused by women workers tending to choose part-time work in order to combine work with their family responsibilities. In view of this finding, the Committee requests the Government to provide information with its next report on the impact of the measures adopted or envisaged to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, as referred to under Convention No. 156, on the remuneration levels of men and women.

5. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that an agreement was reached on 6 February 2002 between the Ministry of Equipment, Housing, National Education and Women’s Rights and the French Federation of Builders to carry out a study on the wage differences between men and women workers in the building sector. The Committee requests the Government to provide information with its next report on the results of this study and also to provide information on other measures taken or envisaged to reduce the wage gap between men and women workers in this sector.

6. While acknowledging the information provided by the Government in its report, the Committee is bound to point out that the report does not contain answers to earlier comments concerning the impact on equality issues of the various measures taken by the Government and the social partners to promote the principle of equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value. The Committee therefore reiterates its request to the Government to provide with its next report a copy of the study undertaken by Mrs. Jacqueline Victor at the request of the Minister of Employment and Solidarity analysing the contribution of the 35-hour week to decreasing inequalities between men and women. The Committee also reiterates its earlier request for the Government to provide with its next report a copy of the guide "equal remuneration for women and men for negotiators" and of the study carried out by the Higher Council for Occupational Equality comparing the value of work and the appraisal of jobs with a view to wage equality between men and women. The Committee is also bound to reiterate its earlier request to the Government to provide information with its next report on the operation in practice of job evaluation and classification systems and their impact in terms of reducing or eliminating the wage gap between men and women workers in both the public and private sectors, and on the improvement of the classification of jobs by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).