The morality of current minimum wage laws in the clothing and textile industry in South Africa today

Abstract

M.A. University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities (Applied Ethics for Professionals), 2012In this research report I question whether the minimum wage laws as applied in the clothing and textile industry in South Africa today are morally justified. In answering the question, I examine the moral justification for minimum wage laws in general, namely the alleviation of poverty and the prevention of exploitation. I argue that in order for minimum wage laws in general to be morally justified they must meet certain criteria. I identify and discuss five criteria. I then apply these criteria to the minimum wage laws in the clothing and textile industry is South Africa. I argue that the laws do not meet these criteria fully and that they need to be amended in order for them to be morally justified. I then make some recommendations as to how they could be amended