FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders campaigns for Democrat Greg Edwards, Pennsylvania's 7th District Congressional candidate, during a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. May 5, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Makela/File Photo

(Reuters) - U.S. Democratic Senator and prominent Amazon critic Bernie Sanders praised the company’s move to increase minimum hourly wages to $15 on Tuesday and said other companies should follow its lead.

“It is no secret that I have been a harsh critic of the wage and employment practices of Amazon and its owner Jeff Bezos,” Sanders said in an email to Reuters.

“Today I want to give credit where credit is due. There is no reason why other profitable corporations in the fast food industry, the airlines and retail should not be following.”