After years of criticism, Amazon raised the minimum wage for hundreds of thousands of its British and American workers.

Written by Sammy Abdo

Workers in the US will earn $15 an hour, up from the American minimum of $11 an hour. In the UK, workers in London will earn £10.50, up from £8.20. In the rest of the country, the rate rises from £8 an hour to £9.50.

The company, worth about $1 trillion made the move after complaints about working conditions, with the reputation of being one of the worst places to work in the world. The rise in pay rate will take effect on the first of November and apply to all workers, including part-time and seasonal employees.

While some might see it as a charitable move, critics see it as a political move. With mounting pressure from the US senate, particularly Senator Bernie Sanders and the US economy booming, it takes some heat off the company by raising the minimum wage. With the holiday season near, it improves their reputation and will attract more workers.