WageIndicator Foundation

Shohei Ohtani and Kevin Durant come in ninth and tenth, respectively. Curious what other sports stars from around the world are earning? Explore more in our VIP Salary Database at wageindicator.org

Lionel Messi, the GOAT, stands in fourth place with $135 million per year, followed by LeBron James, Juan Soto, and Karim Benzema.

Ever wondered how much your favorite sports person earns? In this post, we spotlight the top 10 highest-paid athletes, backed by real data from WageIndicator’s VIP Salary Database. At number one is Cristiano Ronaldo, whose massive earnings come not just from football, but also from sponsorships and personal branding. Stephen Curry comes in second, he’s earned around $410 million from NBA salary alone, making him the third-highest earner in league history (and that’s not even counting endorsements). Tyson Fury takes third, thanks to huge fight payouts and a strong presence outside the ring through media, brand deals, and business ventures.

With costs of living often exceeding Minimum Wage rates, workers in low-paying jobs often depend collective agreements to secure fair compensation, which unions negotiate for them Though this might sound straightforward, it's anything but. Ensuring access to accurate and timely wage data and convincing employers of the benefits of increasing wage payments are complicated steps. In our Info Session on Friday, our team will discuss strategies to do so, provide up-to-date data sources to access, and introduce you to our collective bargaining agreements database (featuring over 3000 CBAs from 70+ countries). Sign up here: wageindicator.org/about/events/2…

We've got an early start to Day 2 at the ILO's #RDW2025! First thing in the morning, Fiona Dragstra will be discussing wealth inequality and the urgent need for #LivingWages!

Live now! Today, WageIndicator is hosting a session the ILO's Regulating Decent Work Conference! Come and join us online via this link: tinyurl.com/WIFRDW2025

@AntonioCasilli @IP_Paris_ 🤣 Publish or perish ❎ Few or more rings✅

@WageIndicator @IP_Paris_ YouTube comments are always top-notch🤣

AI isn’t as “automated” as it seems. Behind every algorithm are invisible workers—labeling data, training models, often underpaid and unprotected. In the #GigWorkPodcast, Martijn Arets talks with Prof. @AntonioCasilli (@IP_Paris_) about hidden labor, global inequality & the real cost of AI. 🎧 Watch now: youtu.be/0oRkW9_Gz54?si…

Hi @JenanneMeme1! Thank you for taking an interest in our definition of wages! For us, wages can be minimum wage, adequate minimum wage, and also living wage. They are all distinctive. Statutory Minimum Wage is the legal wage floor set by governments, but it often falls short of covering basic needs. Adequate Minimum Wage is a statistical benchmark (60% of median and 50% of average wages) aimed at preventing in-work poverty, though it doesn’t directly reflect local living costs. Living Wage, on the other hand, is based on the real cost of essentials like food, housing, and healthcare in a specific location, offering a more accurate measure of what’s needed for a decent life. If you are curious about our living wage estimate, please visit the following link: wageindicator.org/salary/living-…

@WageIndicator @FLAMEUniversity I'm very interested in how you defined wages I say if self employed then what you made is the value of the work you did, if working for somebody else then minimum wages at least then whatever extra service they got from you.

One week to for our conference to kickstart! Getting us going at @FLAMEUniversity will be Prof. Rob van Tulder and Prof. Martin Kahanec's keynote addresses on day 1, setting the scene for the #SDG agenda and discussing the importance of #LivingWages in empowering communities.

@BuruhSiluman @jurno_id Interesting and important piece! It adds gender bias perspective not just in AI system, but in 'digitalisation' product. Please join the discussion today, and share your fresh and important thoughts!

I wrote about this as well for @jurno_id "Si Cantik dan Yang Tidak Kasat Mata", highlighting not only sexism built in a technology application but also the invisibilized labour inherent to it. jurno.id/si-cantik-dan-…

Unfortunately, AI workers' rights are often overlooked. Low wages, precarious working conditions, and lack of legal protection pose major challenges. How does this impact them and the quality of the AI we use? 📅 March 28, 2025 ⏰ 21:00 - 22:30 WIB | 15:00 - 16:30 CET 📢 Meet Our Speakers! 👤 @AntonioCasilli – Author of Waiting for Robots, co-founder of @DiPLab. 👤 Joan Kinyua – President of Data Labellers Association, AI worker rights advocate. 👤 Claartje ter Hoeven – Utrecht University professor researching AI workers’ well-being. 👤 Lydia Hamid – Project Coordinator at @Gajimu Join the webinar to uncover the hidden reality of AI workers with WageIndicator! Register now: wageindicator.org/about/events/2…

Behind the AI products, we know there are many highly skilled tech workers earning fantastic salaries. At the same time, AI development is not only supported by these tech workers but also by "ghost workers." @BuruhSiluman refers to them as "buruh siluman" in the palm oil industry. In this industry, they tag data, clean information, adding keywords, test and train AI system, and perform other essential tasks—often called microtasks.

Read the interview at wageindicator.org/salary/living-… .

Workers in the global electronics sector are often underpaid, but @Fairphone is doing their bit to change this. Read our interview with Remco Kouwenhoven to learn about their Living Wage Bonus Programme on our website, and subscribe to our Living Wage newsletter to get these stories straight in your inbox!

Martijn Arets is moderating a conversation between our global lead of Living Wages @paulienosse, @Teresios_ Gig and Data Advisor at@giz_gmbh, Michelle Hassan Director of @JobtechAlliance and Estu Putri Wilujeng, from @SINDIKASI_ on how to achieve #LivingWages in the gig economy! They'll discuss the unique costs that #GigWorkers face, hidden expenses that need to be accounted for, and the uncertainty of work in the #PlatformEconomy.

We are live now!

Meet the speakers for our side session at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment & Footwear Sector! 👥 Dimple Sokartara-Pamudji (@FNVMondiaal) will moderate. 📊 Daniela Ceccon shares findings on working conditions in 🇮🇩🇪🇹🇹🇷 garment factories. ✊ Ita Nur Khasanah, a female trade union leader from Indonesia, brings firsthand factory insights. 💬 Fulya Pınar Özcan, Gashaw Tesfa Alemu & Dela Feby join a panel on barriers & enablers of #GenderEquality. Join the discussion by signing up at wageindicator.org/about/events/2… Don’t miss it! #OECDDueDiligence #GarmentIndustry #WorkerRights

Mark your calendars! On the 10th of February, we're co-hosting a side-session at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector! We'll be showcasing early results from our efforts to improve working conditions and environmental impact in Bangladesh's garment industry. Join the discussion by signing up at wageindicator.org/about/events/2…