In July, the Washington, D.C., city council passed the Large Retailer Accountability Act by eight to five,
one vote short of a veto-proof majority. Now, after fierce lobbying and threats to pull out of the city from Walmart, Mayor Vincent Gray has vetoed the bill, which would require big box stores to pay workers a $12.50 living wage.
Gray claims he totally wants to raise wages in the city, just not this way. Because this bill would piss off Walmart "is a job-killer, because nearly every large retailer now considering opening a store in the District has indicated that they will not come here or expand here if this bill becomes law." Never mind that Walmart is the job-killer. Minimum wage increases and living wage bills, on the other hand, have repeatedly been shown not to increase unemployment as their opponents claim. Gray is right, of course, that all D.C. workers deserve a higher minimum wage than the District's current level of $8.25. But claiming you want to raise wages but just don't like this way of doing it is weak. Especially when your staff has collaborated with Walmart in tracking the city council's progress on the bill.
If any one of the five city councilors to vote against a living wage for workers at the largest retailers—Tommy Wells, Mary Cheh, David Catania, Yvette Alexander and Muriel Bowser—changes their mind, the council could override the mayor's veto. Two of those council members, Wells and Bowser, are running for mayor, even as they vote against better jobs for their city's workers.
The veto override vote may be just days away: Please join with Daily Kos and Working America by signing the petition urging D.C. City Council members Tommy Wells, Muriel Bowser, Mary Cheh, David Catana and Yvette Alexander to override Mayor Gray’s veto and pass the Large Retailer Accountability Act.