Emails Show Walmart Back-Channel to DC Mayor; LRAA Supporters Target Wells
Wednesday, September 11, 2013(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Recently-released emails reveal that Walmart
lobbyists have been covertly collaborating with the mayor’s office to kill
the Large Retail Accountability Act (LRAA). "It's outrageous that Walmart's
back-channel whispers are being given more weight by the Mayor than the voices
of thousands of DC residents," said Metro Council President Jos Williams. With
DC Mayor Vincent Gray expected to veto the LRAA any day, the bill's supporters
have turned their attention to Councilman Tommy Wells for the crucial ninth vote
needed to override a veto. "We need to give Tommy an earful and flood his inbox
so we can push this historic bill into law and lift the floor for D.C. retail
workers," said Respect DC. The bill "could set a national precedent for
improving standards in the retail sector, in addition to securing a long-overdue
raise for thousands of hard-working men and women who stock the shelves, bag our
groceries, and run the registers at large stores in our city. This is our real
chance to stand up against low-wage employers like Walmart." Click here to email Wells.