[Washington Post] D.C. politicians gave final approval Wednesday to a bill requiring some large retailers to pay their employees a 50 percent premium over the city's minimum wage, a day after Wal-Mart warned that the law would jeopardize its plans in the city."Just because you're the largest employer in the country, don't think we want you here!"
The retail giant had linked the future of at least three planned stores in the District to the proposal. But its ultimatum did not change any politicians' minds. The 8 to 5 roll call matched the outcome of an earlier vote on the matter, taken before Wal-Mart's warning.
"We don't want your filthy jobs here! They're ucky!"
"The question here is a living wage; it's not whether Wal-Mart comes or stays," said council member Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large), a lead backer of the legislation, who added that the city did not need to kowtow to threats. "We're at a point where we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."
Isn't the question of whether Wal-Mart comes or stays kind of involved with whether there's any wage at all? But it's nice to be needed, given the city's unemployment rate. As of May of this year it was 8.5 percent, which is only one out of twelve people.
Well before it had any solid plans to open stores in the District, Wal-Mart joined the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and began making inroads with politicians, community groups and local charities that work on anti-hunger initiatives. The campaign was matched with cash. Through its charitable foundation, Wal-Mart made $3.8 million in donations last year to city organizations including D.C. Central Kitchen and the Capitol Area Food Bank. It has kept a prominent local lobbyist, David W. Wilmot, on a $10,000-a-month retainer. |
That's a little over three and a half percent profit, if your calculator's busted.
But the council action threatens to halt several developments anchored by Wal-Mart in neighborhoods long underÂserved.
Southeast Hospital went under about ten years ago because of the number of uninsured who were showing up bleeding to death in the emergency room.
"Nothing has changed from our perspective," Wal-Mart front man Steven Restivo said in a statement after the vote, reiterating that the company will abandon plans for three unbuilt stores and "review the financial and legal implications" of not opening three others under construction.
The stores would have anchored their sites, with the remaining buildings filled in by restaurants, specialty shops, that sort of thing. I think in the Super-Dooper Wal-Marts they're all under the same roof.
The company's strategy had to this point been calibrated to avoid political conflicts in a city of liberal sentiment, where the retailer's earlier entreaties had been met with deep skepticism.
A half dozen people out their with signs always provides cover....
Well before it had any solid plans to open stores in the District, Wal-Mart joined the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and began making inroads with politicians, community groups and local charities that work on anti-hunger initiatives.
You gotta hand out lotsa cumshaw in the district if you want to get anything done, and they just don't stay bought.
The campaign was matched with cash. Through its charitable foundation, Wal-Mart made $3.8 million in donations last year to city organizations including D.C. Central Kitchen and the Capitol Area Food Bank, according to a company front man. Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy was furiously chewing her cud and thinking...
it has kept a prominent local lobbyist, David W. Wilmot, on a $10,000-a-month retainer to smooth relations with elected officials.