Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Benin (Ratification: 1968)

Application of the principle through collective agreements. Cooperation with the social partners. In its previous comments, the Committee drew the Government’s attention to clauses contained in certain collective agreements, including the recently concluded collective agreement applicable to the press, under which equal wages were envisaged under “equal conditions of work, seniority, vocational qualifications or skills”, the Committee considered that the principle set out by this type of clause was more limited in scope than the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. According to the Government, there has been an increase in the number of inspection and awareness-raising visits related to the principle contained in the Convention. While noting these indications, the Committee asks the Government to take the necessary measures, in cooperation with the social partners, to promote respect for the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value in collective agreements in accordance with section 126 of the Labour Code, and to provide information on steps taken to this effect. The Government is also asked to provide extracts of collective agreements reflecting the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value.

Minimum wages. Determination of remuneration. The Committee notes the information submitted by the Government on the way in which wages are established in each branch of activity, taking into account the nature and specific characteristics of the sector, national economy data, corporate data and the cost of living. According to the Government’s report, when wages are being determined, the draft text prepared by the Government is submitted for examination to the National Labour Council (CNT) which monitors “the non-discrimination between men and women in setting wages by branch”. The Committee encourages the Government to conduct awareness-raising campaigns among members of the CNT to assist them in understanding the concept of “work of equal value” which, given that men and women do not usually have the same jobs or carry out the same activities, would contribute towards attaining real equality in remuneration. The Committee asks the Government to submit information on any measures taken in this respect. The Committee also asks the Government to communicate any new text establishing wages for a specific branch of activity.

Application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the public service. As regards the study on remuneration in the public service, the Government states that the findings of stage A show that public servants receive various bonuses, sometimes under different denominations, and that it is very difficult to determine the exact number of these bonuses. The Committee notes that stage B reveals that remuneration is higher in the public administration than in the private sector, and that no information is available concerning stage C which is devoted to elaborating possible wage reforms. The Government states that the new wage policy, like the policy at present in force, will take account of the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the state of progress and content of the pay reform in the public service. It expresses once again the hope that the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value will be duly taken into account and recognized as an explicit target of this reform, especially with respect to the access to bonuses and fringe benefits, and job classifications.

Statistics. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the statistical information previously requested will be provided as soon as possible. In order to be able to evaluate the application of the principle of equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value in practice, the Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to provide statistics on the situation of men and women in the labour market, disaggregated by branch of activity and, if possible, by occupational category, as well as on their respective levels of remuneration.