The Deerfield, Ill.-based drugstore chain will begin offering the higher pay this year.
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| This Walgreens is on Columbus Avenue in San Francisco. |
By Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO
Walgreens will boost its hourly workers’ wages by $100 million a year after similar moves by competitors, company leaders announced Wednesday.
[post_ads]The Deerfield, Ill.-based drugstore chain will begin offering the higher pay this year, Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer for Walgreens Boots Alliance, said in an earnings call Wednesday. Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin said he couldn’t provide specific figures on exactly how much the move might change employees’ pay.
A number of other retailers also have announced bigger paychecks for workers in recent months.
Walmart announced in January that it would increase starting pay to $11 an hour for hourly employees at a cost of $300 million. Target also raised its minimum starting pay to $11 an hour late last year and said it would increase that figure to $15 an hour by 2020.
CVS Health said in February that it would inject $425 million annually into improving employee pay and benefits, also increasing starting pay for hourly employees to $11 an hour.
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