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Walmart workers win pay rise after Trump tax cuts Walmart clouds pay rise by closing Sam Club's stores
(about 4 hours later)
Walmart plans to start paying its one million US workers at least $11 an hour and give them a one-off cash bonus. Walmart has revealed plans to shut dozens of its Sam's Club wholesale shops and lay-off hundreds of workers.
The move follows last month's US tax code overhaul that cut the corporate rate from 35% to a flat 21%. The closures were revealed on the same day the world's biggest retailer said it would start paying its US staff at least $11 an hour and hand some of them a one-off cash bonus.
Hourly-paid employees will get the higher rate from next month. Walmart said the pay rise was due to the US tax overhaul which has cut the corporate rate from 35% to a flat 21%.
It is the latest in a line of US giants that have promised to pass on some of the cash unleashed to staff. Others, including Wells Fargo and AT&T have promised wage rises or bonuses. Hourly-paid employees will receive the higher wage from next month.
Full and part-time workers at Walmart, the world's biggest retailer, will receive a bonus of up to $1,000 based on their length of service. Those with 20 years of service will get the full $1,000. Walmart is the latest in a line of large US companies who have promised to pass on some of the benefits of the corporate tax cut to staff.
The bonus payments will cost the company, which is worth $295bn, a total of $400m. Others, including Wells Fargo and AT&T, have pledged wage rises or bonuses.
The raise will increase the average hourly pay at Walmart for full-time employees from $13.85 to $14.50. Hourly workers will be paid between $11 and $24.70 an hour. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed that Walmart's pay deal was further proof that the controversial US tax bill is returning money to workers as the administration promised.
"We are early in the stages of assessing the opportunities tax reform creates for us to invest in our customers and associates and to further strengthen our business, all of which should benefit our shareholders," said Doug McMillon, Walmart chief executive. However, at a press conference on Thursday, Mr Mnuchin dismissed questions about the layoffs.
"However, some guiding themes are clear and consistent with how we've been investing - lower prices for customers, better wages and training for associates and investments in the future of our company, including in technology. "Lots of things are going on in the economy," he said. "We appreciate what Walmart's doing."
Sam's Club, which is named after Walmart's founder Sam Walton, is closing 63 of its sites.
Like a cash-and-carry in the UK, Sam's Club is a membership-only retailer that sells bulk merchandise to small businesses and individual shoppers.
Sam's Club said that following "a thorough review of our existing portfolio, we've decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy".
It said: "Closing clubs is never easy and we're committed to working with impacted members and associates through this transition."
Pay deal
Doug McMillon, chief executive of Walmart, said that the retailer is still assessing the impact of the changes to corporation tax.
But he said: "Some guiding themes are clear and consistent with how we've been investing - lower prices for customers, better wages and training for associates and investments in the future of our company, including in technology.
"Tax reform gives us the opportunity to be more competitive globally and to accelerate plans for the US.""Tax reform gives us the opportunity to be more competitive globally and to accelerate plans for the US."
Some full and part-time workers at Walmart will receive a bonus of up to $1,000 based on their length of service.
Those with 20 years of service will get the full $1,000.
The bonus payments will cost the company, which has a market value of $295bn and made a full-year profit of $13.6bn, a total $400m.
The raise will increase the average hourly pay at Walmart for full-time employees from $13.85 to $14.50.
Hourly workers will be paid between $11 and $24.70 an hour.
Walmart raised its minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2015 and the following year offered a $1 rise to those who completed an internal training scheme.Walmart raised its minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2015 and the following year offered a $1 rise to those who completed an internal training scheme.