Membership of A ∨ G for classes of finite weakly abundant semigroups

We consider the question of membership of A ∨ G, where A and G are the pseudovarieties of finite aperiodic semigroups, and finite groups, respectively. We find a straightforward criterion for a semigroup S lying in a class of finite semigroups that are weakly abundant, to be in A ∨ G. The class of weakly abundant semigroups contains the class of regular semigroups, but is much more extensive; we remark that any finite monoid with semilattice of idempotents is weakly abundant. To study such semigroups we develop a number of techniques that may be of interest in their own right.