Starbucks and Costco , Are Latest Retailers, To Raise Employee Wages.<br />Starbucks and Costco , Are Latest Retailers, To Raise Employee Wages.<br />NPR reports that in the United States, Costco <br />has raised its minimum wage to $17 an hour.<br />while Starbucks will reportedly raise <br />its starting pay to $15 an hour.<br />The companies are just two examples from a growing list of major retailers trying to entice <br />jobseekers amid a worker shortage.<br />According to NPR, as of August, <br />retailers had 1.2 million unfilled jobs.<br />Restaurants and hotels reportedly <br />had 1.5 million open positions.<br />After decades of stagnation, wages are rising for the first time as workers have been quitting at record levels, often citing low pay rates.<br />Last month, Walmart raised its <br />hourly wage by $1 for over half a million <br />of its 1.6 million U.S. workers. .<br />Amazon, Target and Best Buy now all <br />offer $15 an hour for starting employees. .<br />Amazon, Target and Best Buy now all <br />offer $15 an hour for starting employees. .<br />Amazon, Target and Best Buy now all <br />offer $15 an hour for starting employees. .<br />According to NPR, Starbucks is facing <br />a push to form the first union <br />at its corporate stores in the U.S.<br />In Buffalo, N.Y., workers <br />at three locations have <br />petitioned federal labor <br />officials for a union vote.<br />The workers say they want <br />better staffing, training and pay.<br />In response, the coffee chain announced that <br />the company is working on "a complete redesign" <br />of its training guide and a new scheduling app, <br />among other shift changes.<br />Starbucks reportedly said that while <br />it supports its workers' right to organize, <br />forming a union was unnecessary
