Labor Rights Terminology

noun a minimum amount of money that an employer is required by law to pay to an employee for work done

• The government recently announced an increase in the minimum wage to help low-income workers.
• I heard they're raising the minimum wage next month, which is great news for us.
• Dude, did you hear they're bumping up the min wage? Finally!
• In the world of freelancing, your time is your minimum wage - make sure it's worth it.

noun a factory or workshop, especially in the clothing industry, where manual workers are employed at very low wages for long hours and under poor conditions

• The government is cracking down on companies that use sweatshops to produce their goods.
• I heard that brand uses sweatshops to make their clothes.
• I can't believe they still get away with running sweatshops in this day and age.
• Working in that office felt like being in a sweatshop with all the deadlines and pressure.

noun A man who earns a wage or salary by performing manual labor

• The workingman diligently completed his tasks at the construction site.
• The workingman was putting in overtime to finish the project on time.
• The workingman was hustling hard to make ends meet.
• The workingman was the backbone of the operation, keeping everything running smoothly.