Progressives’ War on Big Business Will Hurt Workers
Raising the minimum wage, not busting up Amazon and Walmart, should be the goal.
There’s a reason they’re glad not to be working at a mom-and-pop shop.
Photographer: David McNew/Getty Images
When Amazon announced last week that it would pay all of its U.S. employees a minimum of $15 an hour — more than double the minimum wage — CEO Jeff Bezos called on “other large employers to join us.” No company has risen to the challenge yet, but you can be sure some of them are talking about it. In addition to raising the pay of its own workers, including those who only work part time or seasonally, Amazon vowed to “work with policymakers in Washington, D.C. to advocate for a higher federal minimum wage.”
Much of the commentary claimed Amazon was forced to do this by political pressure or the tight labor market. What has been missing from the discussion is that it is easier for Amazon and other large corporations to raise wages, simply because these companies are more productive.