Amazon Hikes Minimum Wage To $15 For US Workers
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SEATTLE (AP) — Amazon is boosting its minimum wage for all U.S. workers to $15 per hour starting next month.
The company said Tuesday that the wage hike will benefit more than 350,000 workers, which includes full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal positions. It also includes Whole Foods employees.
Amazon's hourly operations and customer service employees, some who already make $15 per hour, will also see a wage increase, the Seattle-based company said.
Amazon has more than 575,000 employees globally.
Pay for workers at Amazon can vary by location. Its starting pay is $10 an hour at a warehouse in Austin, Texas, and $13.50 an hour in Robbinsville, New Jersey.
The median pay for an Amazon employee last year was $28,446, according to government filings, which includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers.
Amazon said its public policy team will start pushing for an increase in the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
"We intend to advocate for a minimum wage increase that will have a profound impact on the lives of tens of millions of people and families across this country," Jay Carney, senior vice president of Amazon global corporate affairs, said in a statement.
Amazon is also reportedly planning to launch a free, video service for people who use its Fire TV. According to reports, the app is being developed by Amazon's subsidiary IMDB. The service will play ads and is expected to be something similar to Roku.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
