I'm with you part way.  An employer should choose what they pay, considering what work is being done and the individual employee's contribution to the workplace. Example-An MBA who sits in the break room most of the day may bring less value than a non-credentialed person who actively works at contributing. If the MBA is providing less value they should be paid less. The employer also decides whether to "invest" in their employees, depending on the situation.  Personally, I believe in training and other incentives to help attract and retain my (generally entry level or just above) employees, feeling it is better to work to keep a good one than have to be looking for a replacement.  But that is my choice and no one, especially the employees who accepted my job offer, should be in a position to harm my business by work slowdowns or striking.  Beyond that I believe labor laws for safety and hour/OT limits are good and came about for good reasons.