12 Sep Victoria’s Secret Workers Win Small Raises After Fighting For Higher Pay, Better Hours, Promotions
Some Victoria’s Secret workers say they stood up to the retailer and won.
Employees at the retail chain’s Herald Square store in New York City got raises of between $1 and $2 an hour, CNNMoney reports, after they campaigned for higher pay by delivering a letter to management and starting a petition on change.org demanding more money, more reliable schedules, and the chance to advance within the company.
Victoria’s Secret didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Huffington Post. While the workers are claiming victory, they say the company told them the raises were the result of an annual employee satisfaction survey. What’s more, the workers are still subject to fluctuating schedules and unpredictable hours, according to In These Times, a labor-focused publication.
Still, the campaign’s results could provide some hope for low-wage workers across the country who have taken to the streets asking for better pay and a better life in recent months. Workers at Victoria’s Secret and other retail outlets joined fast food employees in protests earlier this year, demanding a $15 per-hour wage from their employers.
Half of all the jobs created in the past three years have been low-wage jobs, according to a March study from the Royal Bank of Scotland. Retail and fast food are two sectors known for their relatively low pay and unpredictable scheduling.
The Victoria’s Secret campaign was part of a larger effort called, “Just Hours,” by the Retail Action Project and other low-wage worker advocacy organizations aimed at pushing employers to give workers more hours and reliable schedules.