Wage investigation: Appointment of Wage Board.
Section 4
SEC. 4. Wage investigation: Appointment of Wage Board.- The Secretary of Labor shall have the power, and it shall be his duty upon petition of six or more employees in any industry, to cause an investigation to be made of the wages being paid to the employees in such industry and their living conditions, to ascertain if any substantial number of such employees are receiving wages which are less than sufficient to maintain them in health, efficiency and general well-being. If, after such investigation, the Secretary of Labor is of the opinion that any substantial number of such employees are receiving such wages, he shall appoint a Wage Board to fix a minimum wage for such industry. A minimum wage to be established under this Act shall be as nearly adequate as is economically feasible to maintain the minimum standard of living necessary for the health, efficiency, and general well-being of employees. In the determination of a minimum wage, the Secretary of Labor and a Wage Board shall, among other relevant factors, consider the following: The cost of living; The wages established for work of like or comparable character by collective agreements or abritration awards; The wages paid for work of like or comparable character by employers who voluntarily maintain reasonable standard; and Fair return of the capital invested. The Secretary of Labor shall make rules and regulations governing the appointment of a Wage Board, its public hearings and mode of procedure, consonant with the requirements of due process of law. The appointment of Wage Board shall not preclude the Secretary of Labor from subsequently appointing a new Wage Board for the same industry. The Secretary may appoint a Wage Board for any industry, whether it is named in section three of this Act or not.