Costco employees will soon reach up to almost $ 32 per hour

Costco Wholesale is increasing its payment to more than $ 30 per hour per hundreds of thousands of workers, with employees at the top of the retail scale of the retailer who will earn almost $ 32 per hour in March.

Costco, which employs 272,000 people in the United States and Canada, says that its workers will soon receive increases per hour from 50 cents to one dollar, continuing their strategy to stay ahead of the competition when it comes to compensation for workers.

“We believe that our salaries and benefits per hour will continue to exceed others in the retail industry,” said Ron Vachris, president and CEO of the retailer, in a memorandum on Tuesday to employees.

How much do Costco workers win?

The retail retail in ISSAQUAH, Washington, will pay the employees of the first scale $ 31.90 per hour and first -scale attendees $ 30.20 per hour, starting in March. The latest version of a three -year employee agreement requires two additional increases per hour of $ 1 in March 2026 and March 2027, Costco said.

Fund employees and assistants receive increases per hour of 50 cents, winning $ 21 and $ 20 per hour, respectively.

The company is also adding vacation time for new employees during its first year, and offers workers with 30 years of jobs an additional week of free time, providing six weeks in total.

Costco union negotiations

Separately, the company and the union that represents thousands of Costco workers They have been negotiating A new contract, with the current agreement that will expire on Friday. Costco Teamsters has voted to authorize a strike.

A Teamsters spokesman said that the union that represented 18,000 Costco workers did not have an immediate comment.

Costco, which operates 897 stores, including 617 in the United States and Puerto Rico, did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

According to the annual retailer reportAbout 95% of Costco workers are used in their stores and distribution channels. Costco declared that approximately 5% of its workers are represented by the unions.

The compensation and benefits of Costco are factors at its high employee -retention rate, especially for the retail industry, the company said. Last year in the United States and Canada, the Costco employee retention rate was approximately 93% for those with the company at least one year.

Costco in July 2024 increased its initial salary to at least $ 19.50 for entry levels in the United States and Canada. It also increased its highest salary scale in $ 1 per hour and took other steps to carry the company’s average rate for workers per hour at $ 31 at the end of 2024.