Amazon has raised the wages of U.S. workers after the union struggle was tarnished

Amazon has said it will provide a $ 3-hour increase to more than 500,000 employees on its U.S. logistics network by analyzing working conditions for first-class employees.

The online retailer said Wednesday that it has advanced an annual salary review and will raise hourly wages by between $ 0.50 and $ 3 an hour – a $ 1 billion investment, according to Amazon Vice President Darcie Henry.

“That is, we already invested at least $ 15 an hour in industry-leading salaries and last year we invested more than $ 2.5 billion in bonuses and additional incentives for front-line teams,” Henry said. in a statement.

The company said it is currently hiring “ten thousand” jobs in its extensive logistics network, as the pandemic has already spread rapidly, and its workforce has grown to more than 800,000 in the U.S. alone, making it the country’s second-largest employer. Behind Walmart.

The pay rise did not apply to employees of a company outside the U.S., a spokesman said.

Currently the country’s Amazon workers start at a minimum of $ 15 an hour, more than double the national minimum wage. But jobs and the use of tightly controlled productivity quotas have provoked harsh criticism among campaigns and politicians, especially when the risks of coronavirus arose.

In March 2020, in the frantic early stages of the pandemic, Amazon temporarily raised its salary from $ 15 to $ 17, but increased it a few months later.

The last move came 13 days after President and CEO Jeff Bezos. in an annual letter to shareholders, acknowledged that the company needed to improve its relationship with employees after a tough unionization at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama.

Absolutely factory workers he voted against joining a union at the beginning of the month but the campaign focused on working conditions. Amazon has complained that it has an unfair impact on workers in the voting process and a hearing on the union’s challenge to the outcome will be held next week.

In his letter, Bezos said, “Does your chair reassure the result of Bessemer’s last union vote? No, it doesn’t. I think we as workers need to do a better job.

“The results of the vote were inadequate and despite our strong direct relationship with employees, I am clear that we need a better view of how we create value for employees – a vision for their success.”

The Alabama effort has boosted company union activity in other parts of the country a renewed approach Under the terms of about 50,000 Amazon shipping drivers.