Walmart boosts starting pay closing dozens of Sam 's Clubs
Sam
Walmart confirmed Thursday that it is closing dozens of Sam's Club warehouse stores â a move that a union-backed group estimated could cost thousands of jobs â on the same day the company announced that it was boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers and handing out bonuses.
The world's largest private employer said it was closing 63 of its 660  Sam 's Clubs over the next weeks  with some shut already. Ten are being converted into e-commerce distribution centers  according to a company official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the decision publicly.
He said it was too early to say how many people overall would lose their jobs since some will be placed at other Walmart locations or rehired at the e-commerce sites. Making Change at Walmart  a campaign backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union  estimates that 150 to 160 people work at each Sam's Club store  meaning the closures could affect about 10 000 people.
Lauren Fitz  22  said she was at her other job as a church secretary when a colleague texted to say that  the Sam's Club  where they both worked in Loveland  Ohio  had closed. Fitz had been pleased earlier to read the news that Walmart was boosting starting salaries and offering bonuses.
"I thought  'this is really cool.' And then to find out that my store is closing " said Fitz  who said she had worked as a sales associate in the jewelry department for two months. At home  she got a call from her manager and had a letter in the mail saying the store had closed and she could seek employment at another Sam's Club or Walmart store.
On Twitter   Sam's Club  responded to people's queries by saying  "After a thorough review of our existing portfolio  we've decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy."
President Donald Trump cheered the announcement with a tweet  saying  "Great news  as a result of our TAX CUTS & JOBS ACT!" White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders later said she would not comment on the Sam's Club closings but that the wage increases were a sign that the tax measures "are having the impact that we had hoped."
Walmart announced years ago that it would actively manage its store portfolio as it strives to put a dent in Amazon's dominance online. With Thursday's closing  that strategy is now extending to Sam's Club.
The company said the wage increase benefits all hourly U.S. workers at its stores  including Sam's Club  as well as hourly employees at its websites  distribution centers and its Bentonville  Arkansas  headquarters. The one-time bonus between $200 and $1 000 will be given to Walmart employees who won't receive a pay raise.
Walmart confirmed Thursday that it is closing dozens of  [TGT] 's Club warehouse stores â a move that a union-backed group estimated could cost thousands of jobs â on the same day the company announced that it was boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers and handing out bonuses.
The world's largest private employer said it was closing 63 of its 660   [TGT]  's Clubs over the next weeks  with some shut already. Ten are being converted into e-commerce distribution centers  according to a company official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the decision publicly.
He said it was too early to say how many people overall would lose their jobs since some will be placed at other Walmart locations or rehired at the e-commerce sites. Making Change at Walmart  a campaign backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union  estimates that 150 to 160 people work at each  [TGT] 's Club store  meaning the closures could affect about 10 000 people.
Lauren Fitz  22  said she was at her other job as a church secretary when a colleague texted to say that  the  [TGT] 's Club  where they both worked in Loveland  Ohio  had closed. Fitz had been pleased earlier to read the news that Walmart was boosting starting salaries and offering bonuses.
"I thought  'this is really cool.' And then to find out that my store is closing " said Fitz  who said she had worked as a sales associate in the jewelry department for two months. At home  she got a call from her manager and had a letter in the mail saying the store had closed and she could seek employment at another  [TGT] 's Club or Walmart store.
On Twitter    [TGT] 's Club  responded to people's queries by saying  "After a thorough review of our existing portfolio  we've decided to close a series of clubs and better align our locations with our strategy."
President Donald Trump cheered the announcement with a tweet  saying  "Great news  as a result of our TAX CUTS & JOBS ACT!" White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders later said she would not comment on the  [TGT] 's Club closings but that the wage increases were a sign that the tax measures "are having the impact that we had hoped."
Walmart announced years ago that it would actively manage its store portfolio as it strives to put a dent in Amazon's dominance online. With Thursday's closing  that strategy is now extending to  [TGT] 's Club.
The company said the wage increase benefits all hourly U.S. workers at its stores  including  [TGT] 's Club  as well as hourly employees at its websites  distribution centers and its Bentonville  Arkansas  headquarters. The one-time bonus between $200 and $1 000 will be given to Walmart employees who won't receive a pay raise.