This comes as no surprise since Walmart is notorious for being opposed to wage increases; and I suspect that's more driven by wishing the market (continuing wage compression; lower consumer ability, per capita) to trend in a way that's most beneficial to them: people who make less shop at Walmart.
And as for their threats of not expanding into markets that make them money, it's pure nonsense. They're expanding into my state (WA) and even into higher-wage areas with their Walmart Neighborhood Market concept, despite us having the highest MW in the nation at $9.19 and rising steadily.
So in the end, whine as Walmart Execs might, they'll go where there's fruit to be picked. And with service workers in DC making $12+ an hour, that's some pretty low hanging fruit, with so many paycheck getting bigger, and consumers more able to spend. And they know it, too. So they'll build. Bank on it.
Meanwhile, greetings ya'll. I'm new here because the Liberalforum.org URL seems to have gone away (I was Ayn Stein, there) and some new folks to chat it up with was needed in any event.
Pleased to meet all ya'll.
-S