Mayor Vincent Gray vetoed a bill on Thursday that would force Wal-Mart Stores and other large retailers to pay their employees at least $12.50 an hour. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/business/bill-to-raise-retail-wages-in-dc-gets-mayors-veto.html?ref=us
The bill put Washington at the center of a national debate on how far cities should go in trying to raise pay for low-wage workers — and whether larger companies should be required to pay more. Supporters — including unions, clergy and other labor advocates — said Wal-Mart Stores could afford the higher wages.

The District of Columbia Council approved the bill in July by an 8-to-5 vote, one short of a veto-proof majority. It will consider overriding the veto on Tuesday.

Council member, Vincent Orange, a lead sponsor of the bill, said Wal-Mart’s threats had prevented the mayor from standing up for the working poor.  “Wal-Mart put a gun to the mayor’s head, and the mayor capitulated,” said Mr. Orange, a Democrat. “Wal-Mart and the mayor should be ashamed that they’re going to provide poverty wages to people who get up every day and go to work.”

The District of Columbia bill applied only to retailers with stores of 75,000 square feet or larger, at least $1 billion in annual sales and nonunionized work forces.