Amazon boosts average starting pay to $18 an hour, hiring 125,000 workers

[Johnny2X2X]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-hire-125-000-workers-102635619.html

Now you don't have to tell me how tough those jobs are, Amazon works their employees hard. But this upward wage pressure is fantastic for the economy as a whole. Amazon will employee more than 1 Million Americans after this next hiring surge. They're now offering a living wage with some modest benefits and the trend is wage growth and additional benefits.

1 in every 150 workers, works for Amazon. The idea of prevailing wages is at play here, Amazon is setting a new floor in most areas. I know several restaurant owners here in West Michigan who have seen their employees leave for Amazon jobs. They've had to step up their pay to find and keep staff.

Amazon is also increasing benefits, they offer a decent 401K now, they offer the minimum health insurance, and they're paying college tuition for all their employees now. 16 weeks paid maternity leave. Etc.

This is all a direct result of social pressure on Amazon to take care of their workers. This is all a result of Liberal activism to shame the owners of Amazon and force them to step up. And the pressure isn't finished, Amazon is going to be the largest US employer soon, the people will demand that the wages and benefits continue to raise the floor. This is a success story for what progressives can accomplish when they engage industry and stick together. The work is not done, it's just starting.

[David__77]

1. The upward wage pressure is great.

Labor should be expensive, and this creates the need to ensure jobs can be productive.

[Sherman A1]

2. "This is all a direct result of social pressure on Amazon to take care of their workers."

I believe that it is more likely due to not having enough warm bodies to do the work. Just like everyone else out there with a "Now Hiring" sign.

[Johnny2X2X]

4. It's been occurring before the labor shortages

But labor scarcity right now is definitely accelerating things.

And these Amazon jobs still aren't great jobs IMO, but they're getting better and provide a decent alternative for workers.

In Michigan, the UE boost just ended, some of the restauranteurs I know were saying that their workers will come crawling back now, I've got news for them, they won't, those workers found other jobs, some of them at Amazon. Restaurant work just isn't that desirable anymore, outside the tipped workers at restaurants, it's just not well paying enough for the work.

[cinematicdiversions]

5. Yeah. I found that part of the article shall we say

Not actually backed by facts or knowledge.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. I concur. NT

[Lovie777]

3. Any benefits? . ..

health, retirement, etc.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Amazon offers benefits

401K is a 50% match. Health, vision, and dental meet the minimums. Vacation is still just 2 weeks, that needs to improve. 16 weeks paid maternity is better than most places. Tuition reimbursement is 100% which is excellent.

These aren't your 1980s auto worker jobs, I'm not saying that. But this is a step up for a ton of low wage earners who now have a chance at a decent wage with some benefits.

I keep comparing it to restaurant work, because anecdotally I've heard of restaurant workers who've left that industry to go work at Amazon. And the two don't compare. Very few restaurants offer any benefits at all. The hours are not consistent in restaurants. And the wages are quite low unless you get tips, and even then wages are inconsistent.

Amazon is setting a new floor, right now is the time to keep the pressure on them to make that floor as high as possible. And both Biden and Bernie Sanders are keenly aware of this and working to push that floor up. The conditions of the economy right now are ripe for upwards wage pressure and Dem leaders intend to maximize that.