Walmart raises

Walmart raises

COLUMBUS

As part of the largest single-day, private-sector pay increase ever, more than 1.2 million Walmart and Sam’s Club associates in the U.S., including more than 44,000 in Ohio, will receive a pay raise in their paycheck Thursday.

The increases are part of the company’s two-year, $2.7 billion investment in higher pay, better training, clearer career paths and additional educational opportunities for its workers.

All employees hired before Jan. 1, 2016, will earn at least $10 an hour; new entry-level associates hired after Jan. 1 will continue to start at $9 an hour and will move to at least $10 an hour; employees already earning more than $10 an hour will see their annual pay increase starting this month rather than waiting until their anniversary date.

New Allegiant routes

LAS VEGAS

Allegiant Air on Tuesday celebrated the approaching summer travel season by announcing 22 new routes, three new cities to service and a campaign to give away $1 million in airfare between now and the end of summer.

Allegiant’s three new cities it will be expanding its low-cost, nonstop service to include Sonoma, Calif.; Evansville, Ind., and Albuquerque, N.M.

The new routes include nonstop service to Orlando Sanford International Airport from Akron/Canton starting May 19.

Allegiant is the only commercial airliner in operation at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. The airline offers service to Orlando, Fla., Tampa, Fla., Fort Myers, Fla., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

For information on the new Allegiant routes, go to allegiantair.com.

Protesting NY $15 minimum wage

ALBANY, N.Y.

Small-business owners struck back against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to implement a $15 minimum wage Tuesday, saying the Democratic governor’s call to enact what would be the highest state minimum in the country would devastate an already struggling economy.

Gathering at the Capitol in Albany, the business owners warned that such a steep increase would squeeze small businesses struggling in an already challenging economic climate.

“You’re either going to cut back on employment or raise prices,” said Art Price, owner of a Southern Tier plumbing business.

Staff/wire reports