Costco Taiwan will raise the hourly wages of all its employees by NT$30 (US$1.05), effective April 1, the company said in a press statement released Tuesday.
It is the second time in six months the warehouse club, a joint venture between Taiwan's President Group and the U.S.-based Costco Wholesale, has increased employee wages.
Under the NT$30 wage hike plan, the hourly wages for new part-time employees will increase from NT$213 (US$7.46) to NT$243, which amounts to 14 percent, and monthly salaries for new full-time employees from NT$36,849 to NT$42,039, the company said.
Costco Taiwan said it conducts a review of its salary structure once every three years to determine appropriate pay hikes for its employees.
This year, the planned pay increases are the largest ever, the company said, however, it has had no new job opening recently.
Meanwhile, hypermarket chain PX Mart also announced Tuesday increases to monthly salaries of between 5 and 6 percent.
In addition, PX Mart said it would be offering other incentives to its full-time employees this year, including a one-off NT$50,000 (US$1,750) childbirth subsidy.
The local supermarket chain said it gives a pay hike for its employees every year.
The two companies' pay hikes come after the government raised wages for civil servants, teachers, and military personnel by 4 percent beginning Jan. 1.
The government also hiked the minimum monthly wage to NT$25,250 from NT$24,000 and the minimum hourly wage to NT$168 from NT$160.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel