The debate on a national minimum wage appears to occur in different universes. The main institutional protagonists – organised labour and the business sector – seem to talk past each other. In op-ed and other media articles, spokespersons, lobbyists and even academic analysts frequently resort to flag waving or labelling. The issue drowns in the adversarial relationship between labour- and business-oriented approaches. Amidst this furore, government must formulate policy on the matter.

Contrasting two recent contributions to Econ 3x3 may help to take the debate forward.

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Written by Frederick C.v.N Fourie, Professor and Research Fellow, Department of Economics, University of the Free State; and Pippa Green, Communications and media consultant, REDI3x3

This article was first published on the Econ3x3 website – Accessible policy-relevant research and expert commentaries on unemployment and employment, income distribution and inclusive growth in South Africa.