Sam’s Club raises pay to $15 an hour

Sam’s Club is officially setting $15 an hour as its minimum wage, even though 95% of its warehouse club workers are already making that.

The division of Walmart said it also is raising department leader position pay from $18 to $19 an hour and increasing pay for tire and battery center technicians, personal shoppers who fill online orders and forklift drivers.

About a third (34%) of Sam’s Club hourly employees will see their pay rise on Sept. 25. Starting pay for Sam’s Club now ranges from $15 to $20 an hour depending on the market and store location.

Last week, Walmart raised its minimum wage by

$1 to $12 an hour and said starting wages range up to $17, depending on the location and department within its stores. That raise affects 565,000 Walmart hourly employees.

Walmart’s new U.S. average hourly wage is $16.40.

Companies are rushing to raise wages in one of the most competitive labor markets in U.S. history with 10 million unfilled jobs and workers more confident to try out a new career or employer. Companies including Walmart, Target and Amazon are offering raises, bonuses and free college tuition as the pandemic put a spotlight on and created a stronger appreciation for front-line workers and their roles in the economy.