*By Amanda Weston* Amazon's decision to raise its minimum wage to $15 is "about the future," according to the company's senior VP of operations. Dave Clark told Cheddar Tuesday that the e-commerce giant has "hired over 100,000 people, and we expect to hire tens of thousands more." "This is about ensuring we retain, hire, and develop the best talent in the world," he said. Amazon ($AMZN) [announced Tuesday](https://blog.aboutamazon.com/working-at-amazon/amazon-raises-minimum-wage-to-15-for-all-us-employees) the change will affect more than 250,000 employees, more than 100,000 seasonal holiday workers, and associates employed by temp agencies. Employees at subsidiaries like Whole Foods, which the company bought last year for nearly $14 billion, will also receive the pay raise. Beyond its own new policy, Amazon's public policy team will also advocate for changes in Washington, D.C. "It was clear to us that the $7.25 was too low for the federal minimum wage, and so we decided to throw our support behind increasing that," Clark said. That rate was established in 2009. One of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's harshest critics, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), released [a statement](https://twitter.com/tictoc/status/1047128870397382657) praising the company's move. "Today I want to give credit where credit is due," Sanders said. "And I want to congratulate Mr. Bezos for doing exactly the right thing." Last month, Sanders introduced the ["Stop BEZOS Act"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-stop-bezos-act-senate/?utm_term=.171994c982a0), which would have required large employers like Amazon to pay taxes on workers receiving federal assistance. In response to Tuesday's news, Sanders also wrote he looks forward to working with Bezos on promoting higher wages at the federal level. He urged other corporations to follow the retail giant's lead. Clark said that while Amazon listened to its critics, the "Stop BEZOS Act" did not factor into the company's decision. "This is really all about the future of our approach to pay for our employees and trying to lead on this issue overall," he said. Clark [tweeted a video](https://twitter.com/davehclark/status/1047071466787889154) on Tuesday, showing employees cheering for the wage increase. "It's really been amazing," Clark said. "I've been here almost 20 years, and this is one of the best days I've had with the company. Being in front of 700 people who got to experience that increase and knowing what that's going to mean for them and their families this holiday season ー \[it\] was a really special moment." Amazon's new minimum wage will go into effect on Nov. 1 of this year. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/amazon-raises-minimum-wage-to-15-per-hour).

Share:
More In Business
Michigan Judge Sentences Walmart Shoplifters to Wash Parking Lot Cars
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
State Department Halts Plan to buy $400M of Armored Tesla Vehicles
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
Goodyear Blimp at 100: ‘Floating Piece of Americana’ Still Thriving
At 100 years old, the Goodyear Blimp is an ageless star in the sky. The 246-foot-long airship will be in the background of the Daytona 500 — flying roughly 1,500 feet above Daytona International Speedway, actually — to celebrate its greatest anniversary tour. Even though remote camera technologies are improving regularly and changing the landscape of aerial footage, the blimp continues to carve out a niche. At Daytona, with the usual 40-car field racing around a 2½-mile superspeedway, views from the blimp aptly provide the scope of the event.
Load More