Nigeria, Jan. 21 -- Although the legal institution of slavery was abolished long ago, its mentality has not been completely erased from modern workplaces. In many societies today, a troubling attitude persists among some employers one that mirrors the logic of the slave trade. This mindset reduces human beings to tools for profit, treats employees with disdain, and justifies paying wages that are insufficient for a dignified life. At its core is the desire not for free, thinking workers, but for obedient laborers who endure exploitation in silence.

One of the clearest signs of this mentality is the deliberate payment of salaries that cannot sustain workers through a full month. Employers are often fully aware that the wages they offer c...