&gt;  But overall, if employers and employees are agreeing to mutual employment terms without coercion, then by definition it is not exploitation.<p>However, not all coercion is someone putting a literal gun to your head. Labor is systemically coerced due to having an inferior negotiating position.<p>It is called exploitation when it is much more important for the employees to get (and keep) the job so they can survive, especially when people are living paycheck-to-paycheck. They can&#x27;t afford to negotiate, because even trying to do so might get you denied the job, and not be able to eat.