Amazon raises the average pay of its warehouse employees and offers a free Prime membership benefit.

• The company announced that Amazon is raising wages for U.S. warehouse workers to over $22 per hour.
• The company is offering a new employee perk that includes a free Prime subscription.
• Access to speedy shipping, video streaming, and other benefits is included in the $140 annual cost of Prime.

On Wednesday, the company announced that it would increase wages for its hourly warehouse workers and provide them with a Prime subscription at no additional cost as a new employee benefit.

Amazon has announced that its average starting pay for front-line employees in the U.S. will be increased to more than $22 an hour, effective this month, up from approximately $20.50 an hour.

Beginning "early next year," Amazon is introducing its Prime subscription service as a part of its employees' benefit package. The service, which costs $140 annually, provides members with access to speedy shipping and video streaming, among other perks.

This week, Amazon increased wages for its contracted delivery drivers to approximately $22 per hour as part of a $2.1 billion investment in its third-party logistics program.

Amazon is planning to host a second Prime Day-like deal bonanza on Oct. 8-9, as it prepares for the peak holiday shopping season.