I used to work at the local grocery store. Ca. 2017 while I was a lead, they raised the starting wage to $12 something (forget the cents) for departments which were considered hazardous. (Knives, saws, etc) They neglected to raise the wage for existing workers, those who had been there years were being paid the same or less. Being a lead, I took my job seriously and when my employees complained, I went straight to the store manager and inquired why people who had been there for years were being paid less. Apparently the company completely forgot how to math. Managed to secure their pay with their yearly increases attached. Needless to say I didn't last long there.
Fast Forward to 2020, I noticed that during the pandemic they raised all starting pay to just around $15, give or take depending on department. The fine print marked it as temporary. At the start of this year the pay was still in the ballpark. Given that many of the workers there are just starting out or use the part time as a supplement, it wasn't “terrible” compared to other jobs in my area.
Today I walked in to get a few things. Ranting in my mind about gas prices, rising food costs, etc, I paused when I noticed their sign had changed. Not only are some of the jobs that were once considered hazardous listed with “safe” jobs, but the pay….. drum roll
Is $11/hr.
That isn't even the 2016 pay I was hired on, it's actually worse.
Congratulations Ahold (the corporation that owns this store and others) on being THAT dumb.