Amazon US Salary Hikes: E-commerce Gigant rolls $ 1 billion plan for workforce; Check details – The Times of India

E-commerce Gigant Amazon announced a $ 1 billion plan on Wednesday to stimulate wages and reduce healthcare costs for its fulfillment and transport employees in the United States.The Seattle -based company increased the average hourly wage to more than $ 23. Employees with a longer service will see their wages rise between $ 1.10 and $ 1.90 per hour. For full -time employees, the change means on average $ 1,600 per year.From next year, Amazon will also lower the costs of his basic health plan. Weekly contributions will fall to $ 5, while Co-Pays are also set at $ 5. According to the company, this will reduce weekly costs by 34% and co-pays will fall for first-line care, mental health and most non-specialist visits with 87%.Amazon employs around 1.5 million people worldwide.The announcement follows a period of disputes about working conditions. Last December, employees went on a strike on seven Amazon sites, with the Union teamsters insisting on an employment contract during the busy holiday shop season. In the same month, the company decided with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and he agreed to introduce ergonomic measures nationally after the office had linked unsafe practices to back and musculoskeletal injuries among staff.Other large retailers have also increased wages. In January 2024, Walmart, the largest private employer in the US, said that the average hourly wage would rise above $ 18, an increase of $ 17.50. The company has credited the increase in the addition of higher paid roles in its car scheme centers.A year earlier, in January 2023, Walmart increased the starting wage for American staff to between $ 14 and $ 19 per hour, compared to the previous range of $ 12 to $ 18, depending on the store location.