WM's new distribution center in St. Lucie, FL will pay $11.75 as a starting wage, with 50 cent raises after 90 days and 6 months. Some people are shocked:
Wal-Mart had previously said only that its wages would be "competitive," without releasing any specifics because it was conducting the wage survey.The pay scale announced Friday brought a smile to the face of JoAnna McHugh, the One Stop Career Center system manager for the Port St. Lucie-based Workforce Development Board of the Treasure Coast, which is handling the Wal-Mart appli- cation process.
Because the company was required to pay an average wage of only $11.78 an hour [to receive $1000 grants], she said, some expected wages two or three dollars per hour lower than that.
"We're thrilled � $11.75 is only the entry level, which means it can only go up," McHugh said. "We thought that with a $11.78 average wage, there might be some $9 or $10 jobs in there ..."
Local economist Merle Dimbath added, "They are going in with the brute force of cold, hard cash."
The pay scale should have a positive impact on the wage market in St. Lucie County, which is much needed because the current level is below the state average, he said....
Craig Ridgway, general manager of the distribution center, said not only are the wages "very good" for the area, the benefits are also excellent. The benefit package includes a 401K plan, profit sharing, life insurance, vacation and holidays and health/dental insurance...
Without doing any advertising about the pay scale, Wal-Mart has received more than 4,300 applications...
Posted by Kevin on May, 8 2004 at 11:57 AM
