Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes the communication from the Confederation of Trade Union Unification from Nicaragua (CUS), dated 30 August 2011.

Article 2 of the Convention. Equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee notes that the regulations to the Equal Rights and Opportunities Act, No. 648 of 28 June 2010, defines (section 2) equality of opportunity as “a general principle applying to all sectors for the remuneration of work of equal value on the basis of the principles of non discrimination on grounds of gender, principally in economic, social, cultural, work and family life”. The Committee asks the Government to indicate how it applies in practice the concept of “equal pay for work of equal value” established in the regulations to the Equal Rights and Opportunities Act and to provide information on its impact in terms of reducing the wage gap between men and women.

Gender indicators. In its previous request, the Committee noted that the Government had set up a system for monitoring pay. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that a system of gender indicators has been established that will affect public policies on equality in employment and occupation at national level. The Committee observes that with regard to the data supplied, the indicators contributed, inter alia, to the increase in pay of 9,178 women in 2009 and of 3,314 women in 2010. The Committee nonetheless observes that the information supplied does not specify the reasons for the wage increases or the criteria applied. It asks the Government to send further information on the application in practice of the system of gender indicators and its impact in terms of reducing the pay gap between men and women.

Equal pay in the public sector. The Committee notes the statistical information supplied by the Government, which shows that in the public sector, women’s remuneration amounts overall to 73 per cent of that of men. The Committee points out in this connection that Article 2 of the Convention requires the Government to apply to all workers the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee also notes that in its comments, the CUS refers to wage discrimination against women in the public sector, particularly in the public health sector. The Committee, therefore, asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to reduce the wage differential between men and women in the public sector. It also asks the Government to continue to send statistical information on the remuneration of public sector employees, disaggregated by sex and occupational category, to allow the Committee to ascertain the progress being made in eliminating wage inequality between men and women in the public sector, and particularly in the public health sector.

Objective job evaluation. The Committee again asks the Government to provide information on progress made in promoting objective job evaluation in the private sector, as well as information on the manner in which the Government collaborates with employers’ and workers’ organizations in giving effect to the provisions of the Convention in the public sector and in the private sector.