Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Sweden (Ratification: 1962)

Legislative developments. The Committee notes the entry into force on 1 January 2009 of the new Discrimination Act superseding, inter alia, the Equal Opportunities Act and the Prohibition of Discrimination Act. The Committee notes that, compared to the previous legislation, the threshold for being obliged to submit equal pay plans has increased from employers with more than ten employees to employers with more than 25 employees (Chapter 3, section 11). The Committee asks the Government to provide the reasons for increasing the threshold for equal pay plans to employers with more than 25 employees, and to indicate the measures taken to promote the application of the equal pay provisions of the Discrimination Act in enterprises of 25 or less employees. Please also continue to provide information on the adoption, implementation and impact of the action plans for equal pay.

Gender wage gap. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that in the private sector the wage gap between men and women in 2007 was 9.4 per cent for salaried workers and 5.3 per cent for manual workers. As to the public sector, the Committee notes that the differentials in remuneration were 6.3 per cent at the level of the national government and 1.2 per cent at the level of municipalities. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the remuneration disparities between men and women result from a number of factors, including training, education and field of employment concerned. In this regard, the Committee notes that the statistical information on the distribution of men and women in the different occupational categories and sectors provided by the Government shows a concentration of women in certain jobs, such as health‑care services, where in 2008 women represented approximately 76 per cent of the workforce. The same source indicates that only 35 per cent of the managerial positions were held by women. The Committee encourages the Government to take appropriate measures to promote women’s opportunities for career development and access to a wider range of jobs and educational and vocational paths with a view to addressing the vertical and horizontal segregation of the labour market and reducing the gender wage gap. Please provide information on the measures taken in this regard and continue to supply statistical information on the distribution of men and women in the different sectors of economic activity, occupational categories and positions and their respective levels of remuneration.

Wage mapping. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson (JamÖ) carried out a broad survey of employers’ wage-mapping activities following which unfair pay differentials were identified in 44 per cent of the cases examined and consequent wage adjustments were anticipated in respect of 4,800 employees, 90 per cent of whom are women. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the wage-mapping activities carried out and the consequent wage adjustments implemented. The Committee also reiterates its requests for information on any measures taken or envisaged to promote collaboration with workers’ organization in these initiatives.

Public sector. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the system for “statistical job classification in the national government sector” (BESTA) is intended to group jobs in the national government according to job content and difficulty. This classification is used in the context of wage statistics for the national government collective bargaining sector in order to show the different types of job existing in the national government sector and the structure of pay for them. The Committee would appreciate receiving a copy of such statistics. Noting the Government’s indication that this classification does not entail an evaluation of jobs, the Committee asks the Government to indicate how the application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value is ensured in this context.

Collective bargaining. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the role of collective bargaining in achieving pay equality. It notes with interest the internal coordination between the unions affiliated to the Swedish Trade Union Organisation, which has resulted in agreed percentage pay rises in predominantly female branches of employment, such as retail trade, hotels and restaurants, and cleaning enterprises, exceeding pay rises in the public sector. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the manner in which the application of the Convention is promoted through collective agreements, including on how provisions promoting equal pay contained in national agreements are being implemented at the local level.

Enforcement. The Committee notes that during the reporting period no cases concerning discrimination in remuneration between men and women have been decided by the Labour Court. The Committee recalls that the JamÖ put forward a proposal that it be given the mandate to determine procedures for imposing fines itself rather than having to refer the issue to the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Committee reiterates its request for information on any developments concerning the status of this proposal. Please also continue to provide information on any judicial or administrative decisions concerning the application of the principle of the Convention.