5th Periodic Report under the International Covenant for Economic Social and Cultural Rights Feedback
Article 7: Right to just and favourable conditions of work
Read the text in the report here.
The Covenant guarantees the right to just and favourable conditions at work. This means a person has the right to things like a fair wage, to receive the same pay as anyone else for work of equal value, safe and healthy work conditions, and equal opportunity for promotion based on only seniority and skill.
The report outlines developments in areas such as the minimum wage, employment relations, employment rights for migrant workers, and health and safety.
Committee recommendations
The paragraph numbers below are taken from the Committee's concluding observations that you can access here.
26. The Committee urges the State party to adopt the necessary legislative and administrative measures, including by revising the Minimum Wage Act, repealing the exemption permit system and providing support, if warranted, to the employers of persons with disabilities, to ensure that all workers, without discrimination, receive a minimum wage that enables them to have decent living conditions for themselves and their families. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its efforts, including by means of labour inspections, to effectively enforce the minimum wage and impose appropriate penalties on non-compliant employers. The Committee draws the State party’s attention to its general comment No. 23 (2016) on the right to just and favourable conditions of work, paragraphs 18–24.
28. The Committee urges the State party to:
(a) Adopt the necessary measures to ensure that all migrant workers enjoy the same conditions as other workers as regards remuneration, limitation of working hours and rest and leisure;
(b) Take measures to raise awareness among migrant workers of existing complaint mechanisms and facilitate their access to legal assistance;
(c) Strengthen the capacity of the labour inspectorate to monitor the conditions of work, including at workplaces with migrant workers, with a view to fully enforcing employment standards, bringing exploitative employers to justice and compensating victims;
(d) Effectively implement workplace health and safety legislation.