A new four-year contract agreed to by Meijer, an American supermarket chain, is expected to significantly benefit the store’s employees.
The new contract will increase wages for 28,000 hourly workers, while also giving them a better chance at getting a full-time position at one of the chain’s supercenters.
More employees will be given the opportunity to save for retirement, while more will also be eligible for paid time off.
It is also believed that employees will get a better chance of having two consecutive days off, which is not a given in retail.
The new labor contract was agreed upon by Meijer and three separate groups of employees in mid-August. It is thought to make Meijer much more competitive in the hiring marketplace, particularly because hiring is very competitive at the moment.
Michigan, the state out of which Meijer is based, is an interesting case in itself as it has a number of employees in the service sector, and unemployment is low at under five percent.
According to Forbes, Meijer is the 19th largest private company in the United States, with annual revenue exceeding $16 billion. About half of its 220-plus stores are located in Michigan.
Although current cost estimates to Meijer by adopting the new plan were unavailable, the investment was called “significant.”
