Walgreens became the latest large company to increase its starting hourly wage to all workers to $15 an hour by November of next year, the drugstore giant announced Tuesday.
The move, made by new chief executive officer Rosalind Brewer, comes during a period of minimum wage increases generally for large corporations and during a shortage of workers across the U.S.Meanwhile, Several U.S.cities and states have made moves to coax companies into wage increases by law and ballot initiatives.
Walgreens in particular is like other companies in the healthcare industry that are looking to recruit more workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.Walgreens rival CVS Health earlier this month announced plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“Investing in and rewarding our team members is not only the right thing to do, it’s highly important to retaining and attracting a talented workforce, and to continuing to serve our critical role in community health care,” Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer said.
Walgreens said its wage increases to $15 an hour will be phased in “beginning in October of this year and are expected to be fully implemented by November 1, 2022.
“Total investment to support the starting wage increase is anticipated to be approximately $450 million over the next three years, with one-third of the amount invested in Fiscal Year 2022,” Walgreens said in its announcement.“The company anticipates that it will partially absorb the investment through the normal course of business .”
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I’ve written about health care for three decades, starting from my native Iowa where I covered the presidential campaign bus rides of Bill and Hillary Clinton through the
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I’ve written about health care for three decades, starting from my native Iowa where I covered the presidential campaign bus rides of Bill and Hillary Clinton through the Hawkeye state talking health reform and the economy.I have covered the rise, fall and rise again of health reform, chronicling national trends as well as the influence of Barack and Michelle Obama from Chicago’s South Side on changes to the U.S.health system from my base in Chicago.I am the author of the book, “Inside Obamacare.” A regular on Forbes on Fox (2014-2018), you can see me on occasion nationally on Fox Business News.
In Chicago, you can hear my health segments and business analysis on WBBM News Radio 780 and 105.9 FM.I’ve written for many media outlets, including the New York Times (2011-2013) and was healthcare reporter at the Chicago Tribune (1998-2011).Prior to that, I wrote for Modern Healthcare and several Iowa newspapers including the Des Moines Register.I’m active in education and teach in the University of Iowa School of Journalism MA in Strategic Communication program.I am passionate about health literacy when it comes to explaining the complexities of health care.A better understood health system may save someone some money or their life.
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