[Avodah] Minimum/living wage in Halakha

[Prof. Aryeh A. Frimer]

I was wondering whether anyone has thoughts or has seen of discussion related to the letter I've received below.
            Aryeh
    
Dear Prof. Frimer,
    I am trying to analyze the situation of consumers with regard to the employment practices of major stores.
    Could you direct me to any existing sources of halachic obligations on consumers to refrain from patronizing stores which pay employees less than a living wage?
    Do the stores themselves have limitations on staff salaries? In other words, instead of raising prices to maximize profits, so-called "mega-stores" lower costs at the expense of personnel.
    Most of the sources I've consulted discuss tactics like monopolies, price inflation and the like.
            Thank-you so much.

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Prof.. Aryeh A. Frimer
Chemistry Dept., Bar-Ilan University
Ramat Gan 52900, ISRAEL
E-mail: FrimeA at mail.biu.ac.il
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