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

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

Gender wage gap and occupational segregation. The Committee notes from the Government’s report the persistence of the gender wage gap, which amounted to 15.8 per cent in 2008. In this connection, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the gender wage gap is in part due to the following: women and men are found in different professions, sectors and positions; the presence of women in part-time employment; gender stereotypes which influence the choice of study and training programmes; parenthood which reduces women’s employment rate; and the higher rate of sickness absences for women. The Committee also notes the Government’s efforts to address pay differentials and occupational segregation in employment, including by means of a gender equality bonus, tax relief for household services to improve equal sharing of parental duties, rehabilitation guarantee to facilitate the return to work of women on sick leave, inquiries analysing gender segregation in the choice of education and measures aiming at encouraging entrepreneurship among women. These measures introduced by the Government in 2009 are part of a long-term strategy for gender equality in the labour market and the business sector. Furthermore, the Committee notes the setting up of a programme on women’s career development with a view to improving the career opportunities of women employed in the public sector; as well as two national programmes aimed at increasing the number of women on company boards. The Government also refers in its report to the provisions of the Discrimination Act, according to which employers are required to take active measures to promote equal opportunities at the workplace (Chapter 3, sections 1–13). It particularly underlines the provision requiring employers to endeavour to prevent differences in pay and other terms of employment between women and men who perform “work which is to be regarded as equal or of equal value” (Chapter 3, section 2); and encouraging them to promote equal balance of women and men in different types of work and categories, by means of education, training, skills development and other appropriate measures. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to address the gender wage gap and occupational segregation in employment including on the impact of the long term strategy for gender equality. Please also provide information on the implementation of active workplace measures under the Discrimination Act as well as any developments in following up the recommendations of the Government commission regarding changing and strengthening the rules on active measures. Please continue to supply statistical information on the distribution of men and women in the different sectors of economic activity, occupational positions and their respective levels of remuneration.

Wage-mapping. The Committee notes that under the Discrimination Act, employers must carry out wage mapping every three years in order to identify, remedy and prevent unfair gender differences in pay and other terms of employment (Chapter 3, section 10). The employer is then to assess whether existing pay differences are directly or indirectly associated with gender. The Committee asks the Government to provide further information on the implementation of Chapter 3, section 10, of the Discrimination Act, and particularly to indicate the consequent wage adjustments implemented. Please also continue to provide information on the activities carried out by the Office of the Equality Ombudsman.

Collaboration with workers’ and employers’ organizations. The Committee notes with interest the measures taken by the Equality Ombudsman to assist the social partners in meeting their statutory requirements under the Discrimination Act: (i) the Ombudsman has compiled a manual which describes, inter alia, for social partners the methods of drawing up equal opportunity plans, wage-mapping, and preparing analyses and plans of actions; (ii) training programmes have been conducted for management and union officials on active measures with a view to creating equal rights and opportunities at the workplace, including by means of collective agreements; and (iii) a network of representatives of social partners has been established to create a platform for sharing ideas and knowledge, including on the new legislation and discrimination cases in employment. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations with regard to the principle of the Convention.

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