As it struggles to attract and keep employees in a competitive retail labor market, Walmart, the largest private employer in the country, is considerably upping its starting salaries for store employees. The retail giant announced in a statement to staff on Tuesday that it was raising the minimum wage for shop employees from $12 to $18 an hour to a range of $14 to $19.
Unions, lawmakers, and activists have been putting pressure on Walmart for years to increase salaries for employees who work in its stores. The increases announced on Tuesday would bring Walmart’s average hourly wage up to around $17.50 from about $17, while it still lags below some rivals like Costco. The adjustments also include additional benefits as part of its program for employees to receive subsidized college degrees; new, higher-paying positions in its autocare centers; and an expansion of a program that prepares current employees to work for Walmart as truck drivers.
The raises, which will go into effect in March, come amid persistently rising inflation, which has been especially challenging for low-wage workers to deal with because their paychecks are already being squeezed by the price of food, gasoline, and other necessities. The Walmart action is also an oddly positive indicator for the overall economy: one of the biggest corporations in the country is taking action to keep employees, even as other sizable employers have been announcing layoffs.
The decision may also be a response to the longer-term difficulties that businesses will have in retaining workers as the labor market decreases and baby boomers quit their jobs. Even though the increases will reduce the impact of inflation on Walmart employees, they could unintentionally prolong the issue generally by raising wages throughout the economy.
John Furner, the head of Walmart US, stated in a memo on Tuesday that the company’s compensation increase will “ensure we have attractive pay in the markets we operate.” The business’s decision also comes at a time when many low-wage workers require larger salaries to cope with the demands of inflation and rising food and housing prices.
My sister works at Walmart and she doesnât like it at all this is better than nothing
This is awesome for those working there !
My son had a job at Walmart briefly and absolutely hated it. Pay raise is a start but their management also needs to be held accountable for how they treat their employees.