Work and bargaining power
Treat wages as an outcome to explain, not a measure of human worth.
Wages relate to skills, production, labour supply and demand, bargaining conditions, and institutions. Similar workers can face different options if one has several employers to choose from and another depends on one.
In our example, one worker has three acceptable offers while another needs specific hours for caregiving. Accepting less pay does not establish less effort. Commutes, care, security, and unemployment risk affect choices.
This does not imply that any wage increase is costless or that existing wages are automatically fair. Evaluate a specific policy through employment, income, business costs, and differences across groups.
Make your understanding visible
Name three factors beyond pay that could change a job choice.
Compare with a reference response
Hours, commute, and caregiving arrangements are examples. Explain why one matters, allowing that different people can make different reasonable choices.