In a perfectly competitive labor market, firms like Pride Textiles will hire workers until the __________ of labor equals the wage they pay.

In a perfectly competitive labor market, firms like Pride Textiles will hire workers until the marginal product of labor equals the wage they pay. The marginal product of labor is the additional output produced by hiring one more worker. When a firm hires workers, they look for the point where the extra value created by the last worker hired matches the cost of paying that worker's wage. For example, if hiring an additional worker brings in $100 worth of products, the firm will continue to hire until the wage is also $100. This balance ensures that the firm is maximizing its profits while efficiently utilizing its labor resources.