Dwelling Depot mentioned Tuesday it’s investing $1 billion in wage will increase for its U.S. and Canadian hourly employees.
The Atlanta-based residence enchancment chain mentioned each hourly worker will get a elevate beginning this month. Beginning pay shall be a minimum of $15 per hour in all markets.
Dwelling Depot is considered one of many large retailers who’ve raised pay to draw employees in a powerful U.S. job market, the place unemployment is at its lowest degree since 1969. Walmart introduced in January that it will be elevating its hourly wage to a median of $17.50, whereas Goal invested $300 million in hourly wage will increase final 12 months.
The pay raises may additionally assist Dwelling Depot head off a fledgling marketing campaign to unionize its shops, which it opposes. Employees at a Dwelling Depot in Philadelphia filed to carry a union election final September, saying employees weren’t benefiting from Dwelling Depot’s robust gross sales and shops have been understaffed. Employees on the retailer voted to reject the union in November.
Dwelling Depot employs 437,000 folks within the U.S. and 34,000 in Canada. The overwhelming majority are hourly staff, the corporate mentioned. The corporate operates 2,000 shops within the U.S. and 182 shops in Canada.
“This funding will assist us entice and retain one of the best expertise into our pipeline,” Dwelling Depot’s Chairman, President and CEO Ted Decker wrote in an e mail to staff. Decker famous that 90% of the chain’s retailer management began as hourly employees.
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