Although the Washington, D.C., Council did not override Mayor Vincent C. Gray's veto of the Large Retailer Accountability Act (LRAA), which would have required the district’s big-box retailers to pay workers a living wage of $12.50 an hour, the conversation about raising the minimum wage in D.C. is gaining momentum. 

Metropolitan Washington Council President Jos Williams said:

We made sure the issue of a living wage was front and center across the country. We exposed Walmart’s hypocrisy and just how far they will go to deny workers fair pay. And we backed Council members into a corner; forcing them to have a real conversation about raising wages for all working people. The fight for fair wages for all District workers isn’t over. We thank those who stood with workers and for the Council members who sided with Walmart, there will be consequences.

Walmart, which is slated to open five stores in Washington, D.C., had previously threatened to pull out of the district if they were required to pay their workers a living wage. 

“We’re disappointed that Mayor Gray and certain city council members didn’t listen to D.C. residents and pass this commonsense bill,” said Sarita Gupta, executive director of Jobs with Justice and American Rights at Work—two organizations involved in the coalition to pass the LRAA. “We all do better when we all do better—and Washington, D.C., deserves better than employers who don’t respect the community. We hope this vote sends a message to legislators in cities and towns across the country that residents will continue to speak out and demand fair wages for workers in their city. This fight in D.C. is just the beginning.”

D.C. Council member Tommy Wells gathered support for a new bill yesterday, when the LRAA veto override failed, that would create an across-the-board minimum wage hike indexed to inflation. The Washington Post reports, "The bill gained nine co-introducers, indicating significant momentum for an across-the-board wage increase."

Also, Gray floated a minimum wage increase in his veto letter Thursday, and Council member David A. Catania introduced a bill Tuesday proposing an increase.

According to a Hart Research Associates poll, 71% of D.C. residents supported the LRAA. 

Walmart workers all over the United States will continue to challenge Walmart  now and throughout the holiday season leading up to Black Friday to address low wages, lack of respect and what they say are poor working conditions. 

Forbes announced two days ago the Walton family, which owns Walmart, saw their net worth increase 25% in the past six months to $144.7 billion.