CONSHOKEN, PA - IKEA is raising the hourly minimum wage for its workers to $11.87, up 10 percent from $10.76 current minium. U.S. workers for the Swedish furniture giant will average $15.45. In June 2014 IKEA boosted pay 17 percent.
The increase comes as IKEA reaches the 30th anniversary of opening its first U.S. store in Plymouth Meeting, PA. There are 40 IKEA stores in the U.S.,which now represents 12 percent of IKEA.s worldwide business. “Back in 1985, when IKEA U.S. opened its first store in Plymouth, PA, few people in the U.S. knew how to pronounce IKEA, how to assemble flat pack furniture, or what a LACK table was,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA US President.
IKEA finanical advisors Ernst & Young says the global furniture giant directly or indirectly supports 36,500 U.S. jobs; it employs 15,034 jobs directly (10,500 in its retail stores); and 21,201 indirectly. IKEA total economic contribution in the past five years as was $5.4 billion. Investment last year in the U.S. was $658 million. THe company says 18 U.S. suppliers in 11 states manufacture for IKEA.
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