SAW Project
Setting Adequate Wages - Côte d'Ivoire
Context
In Côte d’Ivoire, many workers continue to suffer from low wages. Adequate frameworks of wage fixation, including statutory minimum wages and collective bargaining of wages, offer a great potential to address this challenge.
For the first time since 2014, the Government of Côte d’Ivoire increased the minimum wage in non-agricultural sectors (SMIG) from 60,000 FCFA to 75,000 FCFA, effective from 1 January 2023.
However:
- High inflation might limit the impact of the minimum wage increased on the living standards of workers and their families.
- The minimum wage in agriculture (SMAG) has not been increased in recent years.
- A high incidence of informality also represents one of the most significant challenges for the compliance with minimum wages.
In this context, the SAW Project in Côte d’Ivoire supports wage setting mechanisms in making a stronger use of data and evidence on the needs of workers and their families and economic factors. Additionally, the project identifies national factors and conditions that enable wage increases, and supports measures to raise productivity in selected supply chains. Finally, the project contributes to raise awareness on living wages, provides technical assistance to national constituents in this regard, and engages with existing living wage initiatives in the country to promote alignment with ILO living wage principles.
The SAW project at a glance
Objective
Promoting wages that ensure a just share of the fruits of progress to all
Timeframe
From October 2022 to December 2026
Project strategy
Pillar 1: Support wage setting mechanisms
Minimum wage settings are based on relevant indicators of the needs of workers and their families and economic factors.
Activities/products:
- Mapping of the wage-setting system in Côte d’Ivoire.
- Study on prevailing wages across sectors, territories and groups.
- Estimation of needs-based wages in Côte d’Ivoire using the ILO Methodology.
- Workshops and training on the use of data and evidence to set adequate wages.
Social partners use information on the needs of workers and their families for meaningful and informed collective bargaining of wages.
Activities/products:
- Review of collective bargaining of wages and trainings to build capacity to negotiate adequate wages.
- South-South knowledge exchange and capacity building activities.
Compliance with statutory and negotiated wages is improved.
Activities/products:
- Studies and information campaigns on the new minimum wage level (SMIG) with the aim of promoting compliance.
- Exchange of international experiences on different types of labour inspection to ensure wage compliance.
Pillar 2: Enable wage growth
Productivity and wages are improved in enterprises in selected supply chains.
Activities/products:
- Assessment and training about the factors that condition productivity and wage improvements at the economic unit level in selected supply chains.
Macro factors and institutions that support and enable rising wages are assessed.
Activities/products:
- Technical analyses of economic factors contributing to wage growth, including assessment of potential drivers of wage growth at sectoral level.
- Review of price setting systems in selected supply chains (e.g. cacao, coffee, cotton, cashew, banana) in Côte d’Ivoire and other countries of reference, and analyse their impact on wages and incomes.
- Workshops to disseminate findings from research on macro factors affecting wage growth and provide technical trainings based on this evidence.
Pillar 3: Engage with living wage initiatives
Governments and social partners have a better understanding of living wages.
Activities/products:
- Carry out research and raise awareness on living wages.
- Development of framework and guidance materials on living wages in the national context of Côte d’Ivoire.
International and national living wage initiatives are informed about the needs of workers and their families and economic factors.
Activities/products:
- Engage with existing living wage initiatives to promote alignment with ILO living wage principles.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Toa Bi Ulrich Olivier Dje
National Project Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Additional resources
SAW Project
Setting adequate wages
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Côte d’Ivoire
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SAW Project
Setting adequate wages