Okay, I write a lot of angry stuff about corporations. You know that. I’ve been doing this for years and most of the time I’m pissed off at how workers get treated.

But today? Today I get to write about something good. And honestly, it feels nice.

Costco just raised wages for most of their hourly workers to over $30 an hour. CNBC confirmed it. Top-of-scale employees are getting bumped to $30.20 starting in March, with another dollar increase each year for the next two years. By 2027, these folks will be making over $32 an hour.

Thirty-two dollars an hour. For retail work. In America. In 2025.

Let that sink in for a second.

The numbers that matter: $30+ per hour for experienced workers. $20 starting wage for new hires. 93% employee retention rate. And Costco is STILL profitable. Wild how that works.

Entry-level workers are getting bumped to $20 an hour. The Washington Post reported that average retail wages in America are around $14. Costco is paying nearly double that to start.

And before anyone says “well they had to because of the union threat” – yeah, the Teamsters were pushing for this. Good! That’s what unions are FOR. Workers organized, demanded better, and got it. That’s how it’s supposed to work.

Here’s what kills me though. Every time I write about Amazon or Walmart cutting jobs while making record profits, someone in the comments says “well companies have to make money, that’s just business.” Like treating workers like garbage is some immutable law of economics.

Costco made $7.4 billion in profit last year. BILLION. And they’re raising wages anyway. Because turns out, paying people well isn’t bad for business. It’s actually smart business.

My take: Costco proves that the “we can’t afford to pay workers more” excuse is complete garbage. They’re profitable, growing, and paying $30+ an hour. Other companies just choose not to.

The retention rate at Costco is 93% for workers who’ve been there at least a year. Ninety-three percent. Meanwhile, CBS reported that most retail companies lose more than 60% of their staff every single year. They’re constantly hiring and training new people because they won’t pay enough to keep the ones they have.

Think about that math for a second. Costco pays more upfront but doesn’t have to constantly replace their entire workforce. Other retailers “save money” on wages but spend it all on turnover. Who’s actually smarter here?

My cousin worked at Costco for eight years before he moved out of state. Good benefits. Consistent schedule. Enough money to actually live on. He bought a house on that Costco salary. Try doing that working at most other retail jobs.

And the new contract includes other good stuff too. First-year employees now get vacation time. Workers with 30 years get SIX weeks of paid time off. These are the kinds of benefits that used to be standard in America before we decided shareholders were more important than workers.

The lesson here: When workers organize and push for better conditions, sometimes they win. The Teamsters threatened to strike, Costco listened, and now hundreds of thousands of workers are getting raises. That’s power.

Look, I’m not saying Costco is perfect. No company is. But when I spend most of my time writing about layoffs and corporate greed and workers getting screwed, it’s genuinely refreshing to see a company do the right thing.

$30 an hour. Actual benefits. Job security. In retail.

It’s possible. It’s profitable. Other companies just don’t want to do it.

Remember that next time someone tells you paying workers fairly would “destroy the economy.” Costco’s doing just fine.