VIDEO: Mark Brenner on Walmart’s Latest Dodge

Walmart muscled its way to another victory this week when the Washington, D.C. city council upheld the mayor’s veto of a $12.50-an-hour minimum wage at big box retailers.

Labor Notes’ Mark Brenner told the Real News Network that when Walmart throws its weight around at the local level like this, it signals “more corporate control of our political system.” (See the whole eight-minute clip, at left.)

“Walmart doesn’t even pretend that it can’t afford to pay $12.50 an hour,” Brenner pointed out. “It just says ‘we don’t have to.’”

SUPPORT LABOR NOTES

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR

Give $10 a month or more and get our "Fight the Boss, Build the Union" T-shirt.

A study found that a $12 minimum in Walmart stores nationwide—a boost for 900,000 people—would cost the average shopper only about 45 cents more per trip.

And if you like that clip, don’t miss Brenner’s latest feisty appearance on Fox News on Labor Day. At one point the host tried to claim Republican governors were doing well by their states, reducing unemployment. Brenner shot back, “Working class people, people with not as many zeroes on their checks as you have, have been in recession since 2008. Why are we blaming the people like lunch ladies and librarians? They didn’t get us into this mess!” Zing!