Labor Role-Play
What are the three main roles in a labor market negotiation?
Employers, employees, and labor unions.
Which industry typically pays the highest salaries: retail, tech, or healthcare?
Tech usually pays the most.
What happens to wages when there are more workers than jobs?
Wages go down.
Name one city with a high cost of living.
New York City.
Name one factor that affects how much someone earns.
Education or experience.
Why might a nurse in a big city earn more than one in a small town?
Big cities often pay more because living costs are higher and there are more people.
Name a job in the retail industry.
Store cashier or sales associate.
What does “supply of labor” mean?
How many people want a job.
What does "cost of living" mean?
How much money it takes to live in a place.
How does education level affect wages?
More school usually means higher pay.
What might a labor union fight for during a negotiation?
Better pay, safer working conditions, and benefits.
Which job usually requires more education: a software engineer or a cashier?
Software engineer.
If jobs are hard to fill, what will employers likely do to attract workers?
Raise the wages to get more people to apply.
Why might someone move to a lower-cost city for work?
To save money on things like rent and food.
Why do jobs that require special skills usually pay more?
Because fewer people can do those jobs.
What is bargaining power, and who usually has more of it: a large company or a single worker?
Bargaining power means who has more control. Big companies usually have more power.
How do location and company size affect salaries?
Big cities and big companies usually pay more than small ones.
If there are few people trained for a job, what happens to wages?
Wages go up because the job is harder to fill.
What might your monthly budget include if you live in New York City?
Rent, food, subway or car, phone, and clothes.
How does company size impact wages?
Big companies often pay more and offer more benefits.
How could both workers and employers benefit from a fair wage agreement?
Workers get fair pay, and employers keep happy, loyal workers.
Create a quick salary comparison between two industries and explain the difference.
Tech workers make more than retail because they need special skills and training.
Describe how supply and demand work together to set wages in a job market.
If many want a job, wages go down. If few can do the job, wages go up.
Plan a sample budget for living in two different cities.
One city may need a $70,000 job to live okay. Another might only need $40,000.
Explain how skills, education, demand, and cost of living all combine to determine a worker’s pay.
The more skills and training you have, the more money you can earn—especially if the job is in high demand or the city is expensive.