By 2020 Target plans to raise their minimum wage to $15 for its 320,000 workers. Currently Target pays its workers $10 an hour, however they will be taking their first step with their new initiative in October by paying their employees an $11 minimum wage.
Several local Target employees are excited for the minimum wage increase efforts. Ryan Kelley, a team leader for the Franklin Street Target, said they also have great benefit to team members who work more than 30 hours a week.
“We’re just really excited to take care of our team members in the ever changing retail landscape,” he said.
Kelley said raising the minimum wage is a way to attract talent to the company, since many students apply and work at the Franklin Street Target.
Student team member Tim Walker said he's pursuing a Masters in Education. This year he had to take out loans and he said Target's minimum wage increase will help him pay for school.
“That’s something that has been a big discussion among many of my friends as well as people throughout the school,” Walker said. “It’s been a discussion in my life for a while — raising the minimum wage.”
He said he thinks the wage increase is beneficial, but it should be a gradual process rather than an immediate jump.
“I think it’s something that needs to be tested out for sure, but I think that considering the raise in prices over the last 20 to 30 years, the rate that our minimum wage has gone up isn’t matching that,” he said.
Target has 1,816 stores located across the US and in addition to Target's goal of a $15 minimum wage they also plan to hire 100,000 more workers this holiday season.
