By the law

Minister of Labour Nidal Katamine confirmed during the annual celebration commemorating Labour Day, on May 1, that the government is putting the final touches on the issue of minimum wages for workers in the country.

The minister did not go into details and labourers cannot be sure that the ministry has taken into consideration relevant International Labour Organisation conventions on labour rights, and specifically Articles 7 and 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which is binding on Jordan.

Article 7 stipulates that workers “have the right to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which ensure in particular remuneration which provides all workers with a minimum wage that provides (a) fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value without distinction of any kind in particular with regard to women… (b) a decent living for themselves and their families... and (c) safe and healthy working conditions”.

Article 11 spells even more worker rights, including an adequate minimum wage, saying that a worker has the right “to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing...”

State parties to the covenant, Jordan included, are therefore required to take “appropriate steps to ensure the realisation of this right”.

Moreover, pertinent international laws call for the determination of the minimum wage by a tripartite committee composed of representatives of the government, workers and the private sector.

Such committee did indeed meet to discuss the issue in Jordan, and decided to refer its recommendations on raising minimum wages to the Ministry of Labour, who was expected to refer it to the Cabinet for a decision.

It is hoped that the committee and the Cabinet will have taken international legislation on minimum wages into consideration before deciding the amount in a manner that complies with international standards.

Short of doing that, in its next periodic report, ICESCR may decide that the country has failed to comply with its state-treaty obligations on the issue.