WHY AMAZON IS RAISING WAGES FOR ALL WORKERS

Amazon.com announced Tuesday that it will raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour for all employees, a move that comes after the tech giant faced harsh criticism for how much it pays its workers.

The pay increase will affect 250,000 Amazon employees and 100,000 seasonal employees hired at Amazon sites during the holiday season. It will affect full-time and part-time workers, as well as Whole Foods Market employees, and will take effect Nov. 1.

“We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do and decided we want to lead,” Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement. “We’re excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us.”

Amazon has faced criticism over the years for what some say are poor working conditions in its warehouses, the hubs the company has set up nationwide for rapid delivery of online purchases.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has lashed out at Amazon recently, saying the company does not pay a “living wage” and leaves some dependent on safety-net programs such as food stamps and Medicaid. He attacked Bezos, the world’s richest person, and introduced legislation called the “Stop BEZOS Act” to tax Amazon and other large employers to recoup the cost of public benefits paid to employees.

“Today I want to give credit where credit is due, and that is that Mr. Bezos and Amazon have done the right thing,” Sanders said in an interview Tuesday. “This is a significant step forward for many thousands of Amazon employees.”

Sanders said Amazon’s efforts were likely to have “a ripple effect all over the economy” by putting pressure on competitors like Walmart to follow suit.

“Not only does this make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Amazon employees, it also sends a message to the fast food industry, the airline industry and the retail industry in general that the time is now to begin paying workers a living wage,” he said.

“We will be working to gain congressional support for an increase in the federal minimum wage. The current rate of $7.25 was set nearly a decade ago,” said Jay Carney, senior vice president of global corporate affairs for the company. “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.”

The Obama administration had called for raising the minimum wage to $10.10, but the proposal went nowhere during an era of divided government. Many business groups and conservatives argue that $15 an hour is too high, especially in places outside urban centers that have a lower cost of living.

Last month, Sanders introduced a bill calling on Amazon to pay a living wage to its employees, following reports that thousands of Amazon workers rely on federal assistance for food, housing and health care.

RICK T. WILKING / GETTY IMAGES Amazon, the nation’s second-largest private employer, has announced plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour as of Nov. 1. Employees of Whole Foods will also be paid the new minimum.