Amazon Workers Claim Pay Raise is Misleading

Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. announced last week that it would begin paying all of its employees a minimum of $15 per hour, something it had been pushed to do by workers’ rights groups and politicians, namely Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders.

Not all workers are satisfied with the pay raises, however. Employees in Amazon warehouses are reportedly furious that they could end up making “thousands of dollars less,” according to The New York Times. Amazon’s new plan includes giving pay raises, which will affect most of its workers, but it will forego giving new stock options and monthly bonuses. Workers upset with its new compensation plan have tapped Senator Sanders for his help once again, writing letters urging him to negotiate with the company on their behalf. Last week, Sanders wrote to Amazon’s SVP, Global Corporate Affairs for clarification on the policy, highlighting concerns of those employees.

Amazon maintains that its higher hourly pay “more than compensates” for the stock and incentive bonus phase-out.