all possible, the bill would be passed by Parliament before the end of the current year. 105. In the context of article 11, paragraph 1 (d), of the Convention, she now wished to make a series of remarks on the issue of equal pay. Unequal pay was prohibited by law in the Federal Republic. Collective wage agreements and individual employment contracts that failed to comply with the law were null and void. However, in practice the principle of equal pay for equal work was still not sufficiently observed. The Federal Government was therefore conscious of its obligation under International Labour Organisation Convention No. 100 to continue to work towards de facto equal pay. However, State organs were subject to considerable constraints in that connection owing to the manner in which wages were set in the Federal Republic. / 106. Remuneration levels were set chiefly by means of collective wage agreements. Both trade unions and employers were protected by the safeguards for autonomy in negotiating wages rates laid down in the Basic Law, The State had to confine itself to appealing to the sense of responsibility of the parties concerned. 107. However, problems relating to unequal pay did not arise so much in the context of collective wage agreements themselves but, rather, at the level of actual implementation. Particularly when it came to assessing the comparative value of work carried out by women and ranking such work in the appropriate wage group, the results were very likely to be disadvantageous for women. In cases where an employer remained unwilling even after the works or staff council had become involved to relinquish discriminatory remuneration practices, the only option open to the female employee concerned was to take the matter to the labour court. I. • • 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the issue of equal pay for equal work, specifically in the context of Germany's Federal Republic. It highlights the challenges in implementing equal pay, including the role of collective wage agreements and the constraints faced by the State in addressing unequal pay. The text also mentions the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 100, which suggests that the topic is related to international labor standards.

**Category**
Employment, International trade