Walmart, Target, Kroger, and more major retailers go head-to-head in an escalating 'labor hoarding' war over hourly employees

• As companies of all stripes tighten their budgets, retailers are still spending big on hourly workers.
• Big hourly wage increases of the past three years are here to stay, and more are in the works.
• Kroger is the latest to join other major brands like Walmart and Target in the "labor hoarding" war.

There's a quiet war being waged among America's largest retailers, and the winner might be the previously under-appreciated hourly worker.

Slower sales growth, rising interest rates, and increased uncertainty are compelling companies of all stripes to tighten their operations and hunt for cost savings.