it should probably be through government regulation, mostly, like minimum wages and various legislation

WRONG. Government regulation has always been a concession. Next time voteball happens, conservatives win and either undo your win or fuck it up and privatize it. Obviously, if mandating it through regulation is the best chance you have then take it. But the proper course is to have union membership be so high that whatever the government-mandated minimum wage is does not matter. Everyone is on a collective contract and companies get wedgied into offering better working conditions every other month.