Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

In this Keynote address for the Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality’s Symposium, “Not Just Wages,” held at the University of Minnesota Law School on April 11, 2025, I discuss the evolving concept of wage justice, using the lens of Critical Wage Theory and its origins in pioneering theories of race, labor and justice. The Article outlines the legal frameworks that have defined the content of wage justice in the twenty-first century, particularly for marginal workers. This Article raises the alarm about the impact of political change on low-wage workers, using case studies and analysis of administrative agency enforcement of rights for low wage workers in the recent past. The Article further mines the intersection of legal structures and wage justice, highlighting the gaps in protection that befall marginal workers. Arguing that a holistic approach to race and class is especially needed in these times fraught with political and organizing challenges, I argue for a continued re-envisioning of racial and wage justice.

Publication Citation

43 L. & Inequality 279 (2025).

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