They say they are but I am skeptical. They should be rising.
Let's put it this way. The job market is not good right now. Too many people looking and not enough companies hiring. Maybe on a farm that's not true but overall, this is not the kind of market where companies are paying more to keep and attract new employees. When the economy is good people job seek. When the economy is like this, they hug. People are job hugging.
But they say wages for uneducated blue collar workers are going up. That's what they are saying. Do I believe it? I take it with a grain of salt. I'd like to see it for myself locally but so far I'm not.
I did a search for Kroger
Kroger's pay varies significantly by role and location in 2024, with typical store positions averaging around $15-$18 per hour
Then I searched 2025 and this came up
- Retail Sales Associate: Around $13.32/hour