BEN NUCKOLS Associated Press WASHINGTON – Wal-Mart and other large retailers won’t be required to pay their employees a “living wage” of at least $12.50 an hour in the District of Columbia.
The D.C. Council failed to override Mayor Vincent Gray’s veto of the wage bill on Tuesday, signaling an end to an effort that made the nation’s capital part of a national debate over compensation for low-wage workers.
A two-thirds majority was required to override the veto. The council fell two votes short, voting 7-6 to override. The bill was approved in July by an 8-5 margin.
Gray called the bill a job-killer, saying it would drive Wal-Mart and other retailers out of the city. Debate over the bill has led the council to consider a minimum wage increase for all workers.
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