Walmart claims victory as Washington DC mayor vetoes minimum-wage bill

[ErikJ]

Source: Guardian

The mayor of Washington DC has bowed to pressure from Walmart and vetoed minimum-wage legislation that would have hampered the supermarket giant's push into urban America.

Vincent Gray said the legislation, which would have forced large retailers to pay staff at least $12.50 an hour, would drive away employers and threaten 4,000 jobs in the city.

His intervention angered campaigners who had hoped that a Large Retailer Accountability Act passed by DC's city council would protect unionised shop-workers and act as a bulwark against the spread of low-cost retailers into US inner cities.

Walmart, which has largely saturated suburban and rural markets in the US, had threatened to scrap three planned stores in poorer areas of DC and threatened three other sites already under construction if the legislation was enacted. The highly-targeted law required all companies with more than $1bn in global sales and operating in spaces larger than 75,000 square feet to pay at least $12.50, rather than the standard minimum wage of $8.25, unless they had collective bargaining agreements.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/sep/12/walmart-minimum-wage-vincent-gray-washington

[KamaAina]

1. Might be a little too soon to gloat

the mayor did say he would push for an across-the-board minimum wage increase.

[Yo_Mama]

10. That makes a lot more sense.

Rather than singling out some, why not do it for every business? More money in people's pockets!

[samrock]

2. Can his veto be over ridden?????

I hope...

[cstanleytech]

3. Here is an idea. Redo it so the law

requires any business with more than 20% part timers has to give them a minimum of 39 hours a week or the business has to pay higher taxes on its income.
That way it also means that they qualify for Obamacare.

[theHandpuppet]

4. WalMart wins again

[Ash_F]

6. Turn off your television. /nt

[NickB79]

7. It's an unmitigated disaster

Whatever you believe the minimum wage should be meant for, this is how it really is in today's society:



Yes, I want to see more people rise above the minimum wage (who doesn't?), but right now we have millions who are forced to live off of it.

Hopes and aspirations don't put food on the table, and raising the minimum wage won't dash the ambition to work harder, make more money, and be more successful. That's a Republican talking point that's been debunked so many times, I'm amazed to see it even mentioned on DU without a sarcasm tag after it.

[LanternWaste]

8. I've never really been a fan of the host adapting to the parasite...

All things being equal, I've never really been a fan of the host adapting to the parasite. Looks like it happened in this case.

[DRoseDARs]

9. Victory? He vetoed the bill because he didn't believe it went far enough...

He wants to sign a bill that Walmart will like less. That's not even a Pyrrhic victory for them, that's just a straight-up Fail.