• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, April 7, 2020

Charter Communications has announced that over the next two years, it will raise the minimum wage for all employees paid on that basis from $15 to $20.

Charter said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the permanent wage hike decision, which had already been under discussion.

The cable operator said it will immediately implement an initial, retroactive increase of $1.50 for hourly workers who are on the "frontline" in the field and customer operation groups — the employees "who are the face of our company to our nearly 30 million customers."

Those workers will also receive another permanent $1.50 per hour raise on top of the March 2021 merit increase.

The $20 rate will be in force for all hourly employees by 2022, according to the company.

Charter operates in 41 states, through its Spectrum cable/broadband brand.