Walmart Decries D.C. ‘Living Wage’ Legislation

[Sherman A1]

If legislation passed by the Washington, D.C., Council is signed into law, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it will have to “re-evaluate [its] options” with regard to six planned stores in the area. The Large Retailer Accountability Act (LRAA) requires that certain large retailers pay a starting salary of $12.50 an hour-- considerably higher than D.C.’s current minimum wage of $8.25.

Three of the stores are now under construction, with the first two slated to open in the autumn.

In a July 9 op-ed piece in The Washington Post, Alex Barron, a regional general manager for Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart who is responsible for about 90 stores and 30,000 associates in the D.C. area, said: “[T]his legislation is arbitrary and discriminatory and … discourages investment in Washington. We have gone to great lengths to have thoughtful conversations with council members about why the LRAA would result in fewer jobs, higher prices and fewer total retail options. Most shopping dollars would stay in the suburbs, unemployment would remain in the double digits in some neighborhoods, and underserved communities would continue to have disproportionate access to affordable groceries.”

Additionally, as the mega-retailer has pointed out, major local employers Safeway and Giant-Landover are exempt from the LRAA, which the company believes would give those supermarket operators an unfair advantage. “The LRAA would clearly inject unforeseen costs into the equation that would create an uneven playing field and challenge the fiscal health of our planned D.C. stores,” noted Barron in the op-ed piece.

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/national-supermarket-chains/id39595/walmart-decries-d-c-living-wage-legislation/?icid=homepage

[woo me with science]

1. Can't have people "living,"

now can we.

[Katashi_itto]

2. Walmart is scared. This could be a trend.

Definitely would hurt their using the 3rd world business model they have.

Importing 3rd world working conditions to the US for the last 30 years.

[Wounded Bear]

20. It should be a trend....

and they should be scared, too. It's about time someone took down one of the big corps. Wally-world is a good target.

[abelenkpe]

3. Poor poor Walmart. Nt

[B Calm]

4. $12.50 an hour will break the back of Walmart!

I can see it now, Walmart files for bankruptcy!

SARCASM. . .

[Travis_0004]

5. Why not raise the minimum wage.

I don't think its fair to make some companies pay 12.50, and others pay 8.50. Thats not a level playing field.

Just raise the minimum wage to 12.50 for all companies.

[Victor_c3]

9. I partly feel that way too

but, by letting smaller businesses get away with paying less you are giving them an advantage. As a result, I bet you'll see more mom-and-pop stores. Instead of one regional manager getting millions and 30,000 employees getting crap, you'd end up with a lot of middle class earning store owners and considerably fewer people getting crap.

[BlueJazz]

12. The problem is: You and I have to support the Wal-mart workers by giving them food stamps..

...housing assistance and paying for any health problems they have. I'd rather pay a few cents more for stuff in the store and not have to do all that crap..

[Shadowflash]

13. Some of that might be better. For taxpayers and everybody.

If you work at Walmart for $8.50 and hour you are going to need government assistance. That's not a 'job' that just something to do while you collect food stamps and medicade.

If I'm going to live off the government, anyway, (and subsidize Wally World while doing it.) why bother with a 'job' that takes away my free time. If I'm on the dole, I'm gonna enjoy it. I'll just NOT work at walmart and get welfare as well as the medicaid and foodstamps I'm already getting by being a wally world employee.

Either way, I can't support myself and the taxpayer have to do it, so why bother?

So, yes, a higher minimum wage would be fair. If you are willing to put in a whole day's work (especially for someone else, to line thier pockets with profit) then you rightfully deserve to be able to live off what you make.

[frylock]

17. the more people make, the more they have to spend on crap at walmart..

something you and the rest of the trickle downers can't seem to wrap your mind around.

[Kingofalldems]

6. Safeway and Giant are union last time I checked

Guess Walmart forgot.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Saw figures stating such a raise would cost customers 46 cents per trip.

[frylock]

18. oh, the humanity

[Victor_c3]

8. It might discourage investment by large chain stores in the Washington area

but I bet it would create a ton of opportunities for small and privately owned businesses. Instead of all the profits getting funneled to the top ranking managers and execs in the tune of $millions$, there would be more owners of smaller stores scraping a decent middle class income.

You also would end up with many more diverse smaller mom-and-pop stores that would help to make the area diverse and unique. Instead of every shopping plaza looking identical, you would actually have stores that have local charm and character. This would strengthen our ethnic neighborhoods and make them interesting and unique parts of our communities.

I believe that a bill like that would strengthen the middle class and make our communities healthier. Instead of driving 20 minutes to get to the superstore, you'd go down to the corner store to buy your groceries. The owner of this small store would know you by name, probably live a block or two down the street from you, their kids probably would go to your kid's school, and so on. Instead of only seeing your neighbors for a few fleeting seconds when they step out of their door and walk to their car, you'd run into them at the local stores and so on.

I fully believe that there is a lot of positive spin-off to be had with this policy. Maybe I'm smoking too much crack or something, but I'm excited and hope this get more traction in other areas.

[7962]

11. DC has a slight hypocrisy problem.....

Many of the city workers dont make 12.50 an hour. Seems as thought they'd have a problem forcing only a few companies to pay what they wont.

[frylock]

19. do those city workers get health benefits..

or do they go to the emergency room like walmart employees so that we get to pay for their healthcare?

[7962]

21. Dont know the answer to that one

[rurallib]

14. OTOH I decry having to support Walmart workers with my taxes

to pay for their food and healthcare.
Pony up Wally!

I figure every penny that taxpayers pay to support Wally is another penny in the pocket of one of the Walton kids. I don't want my money going to them.

[Igel]

16. Some people decry supporting any workers with their taxes.

Whether you view it as subsidizing the workers or subsidizing the business, Wally-mart versus Home Depot versus "Your Corner Deli" is, using today's lingo it's still a "subsidy."

I'm surprised nobody's saying to count the money paid to employees as food, rent, or medical assistance shouldn't be credited to the employer's net income. If they want to deduct it, however, they have to pay it.

(Of course, that's the first step on a truly nasty slippery slope, and while common sense would stop a slide to the bottom that first step would make the next few steps very difficult to avoid.)

[nykym]

15. And should they pull out

of deals in DC make sure they give back any tax abatement's, and so on.
Decide not to build and to close stores pay back on the deals we have you to open.

[Sherman A1]

22. Agreed

Certainly this is all bluff on Wal Mart's part, but you make an excellent point!