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By Hiroko Tabuchi
New York Times, Feb 19, 2015

Walmart, the largest private employer in the country, said on Thursday that it would increase wages for a half-million employees, a move that comes amid persistent scrutiny of its labor practices and high employee turnover. ...

Walmart has had significant trouble retaining employees in a job market where its competitors like Costco Wholesale offer better wages. ...

Holly Sklar, chief executive of the Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a group of business leaders pressing to raise the minimum wage, called for further pay increases.

“It’s important that our nation’s largest private employer is finally beginning to follow many other companies in raising starting pay. But given that the buying power of the 1968 federal minimum wage is nearly $11 adjusted for inflation, Walmart should be setting higher targets than $9 in April 2015 and $10 in 2016,” Ms. Sklar said. ...

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