Minimum Wage Database

The minimum wage is a basic labour standard that sets the lowest wage rate that an employer can pay to employees. One of the main purposes of a minimum wage is to protect non-unionized workers in unskilled jobs, although it can also influence, directly or indirectly, the level of compensation of other employees. This is because a minimum wage constitutes a base that employees or their unions may use as a starting point for negotiations with management for higher remuneration. Adjustments to the minimum wage are required from time to time to account for changing economic and social conditions.