Sam's Club to raise starting pay to $15 an hour

File- This Feb. 23, 2018, file photo shows shoppers leaving a Sam's Club in Pittsburgh.
File- This Feb. 23, 2018, file photo shows shoppers leaving a Sam's Club in Pittsburgh.

Sam's Club is boosting its starting wage to $15 an hour as of Sept. 25, joining a rush by retailers to increase pay in a tight labor market.

The stepped-up wage is part of a broader increase that will award raises to 34% of the workforce, Sam's Club said Tuesday. So-called team leads at Walmart's membership-based warehouse retailer will earn at least $19 an hour, a dollar more than before. Personal shoppers, forklift drivers and tire-and-battery technicians are also in line for raises.

The wage increase will help Sam's Club compete with rivals such as Target, which has a starting pay of $15, and Costco Wholesale Corp., which has set it at $16. Walmart is poised to raise the starting wage at its namesake stores to $12, a dollar higher, on Sept. 25.

"We're investing further in roles -- such as team leads -- that help associates climb the ladder and build long-term careers with us," Sam's Club Chief Executive Officer Kath McLay said in a memo to employees. "And we're making other targeted role and geographic investments to stay competitive in the marketplace."

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