The Daily Background

For a Human Rights class I’m taking, we’re supposed to formulate a question(s) related to human rights each week for class. The following is my third one. You can read my first and second here and here, respectively. Question three is here. The forth can be read here.

Article 7 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (which, although signed by former President Jimmy
Carter, has yet to be be ratified by Congress) says that each State
should ensure “Fair wages” and “A decent living for themselves and
their families in accordance with the provisions of the present
Covenant.”

The federal minimum wage in the United States has rested at $5.15 an
hour since 1996 (ten years). The Republican-dominated House of
Representatives has scuttled every single attempt by Democrats to
simply raise the minimum wage since 1996, while inflation and the cost
of living has gone up during this time- making $5.15 an hour worth much
less than it was in 1996.

With inflation adjustments alone, American workers who earn only
minimum wage are getting paid the equivalent of more than a dollar less
than they were paid ten years ago. Americans only making the bare
federal minimum wage actually rest below the official poverty line in
the United States.

Would ratifying the ICESCR compel the United States Congress to finally
raise the minimum wage?

Filed under: Human Rights, Z-TDB Blog