Living wages are paid

ETI Resources

This is an outline page for this new section of the ETI website, which will be developed on an ongoing basis to provide a list of key resources on this topic. Suggestions for material to include on this page are welcome!

• Key international conventions
• ETI documents
• Other online resources
• For more information

 

 

Key international conventions

C131 – Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970

Under this Convention, states are required to establish a system of minimum wages, which has the force of law. In determining the level of minimum wages states must consider the needs of workers and their families, the general level of wages in the country, the cost of living, social security benefits, and the relative living standards of other social groups. Economic factors must also be considered, including the requirements of economic development, levels of productivity and the desirability of attaining and maintaining a high level of employment.

C95 – Protection of Wages Convention, 1949

This Convention imposes a wide range of requirements aimed at ensuring that workers are paid their wages regularly and in legal tender, rather than in the form of promissory notes, vouchers or coupons. Wages must be paid directly to the worker concerned and deductions from wages are permitted only where prescribed by law or collective agreement.
In cases of bankruptcy, workers must be treated as privileged creditors in respect of unpaid wages – subject to limits set by law.

 

 

ETI documents

ETI Library:

• ETI comment - A ‘living wage’ for workers in global supply chains - A comment by Dan Rees, Director of the Ethical Trading Initiative (plus FAQ about the ‘living wage’) (Sept 2007)
• Linking wages, overtime and productivity (Key challenges in ethical trade: Report on the ETI Biennial Conference 2003, Chapter 5)
• The "Living Wage" Clause in the ETI Base Code - How to Implement it? (June 2000)

 

 

Other online resources

ETI Library:

• The purchasing power index and the sustainable living wage (CREA, 2003) [PDF, 70kb]

 

 

For more information

We welcome suggestions for highly relevant links and print material to list here, bearing in mind that it is intended to be a very selective resource. Please include:

1. full URL (address for internet links) and/or bibliographic details and how to obtain a copy (print materials), and
2. a clear indication of where you think the listing would be most appropriate.

Please send suggestions to adil@eti.org.uk
[ETI mailing address]