| Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's and world's | | | | Rep. Susan Bucher, D-Lantana, has filed a version |
| largest retailer, is quickly becoming Florida's largest | | | | of the health care proposal for the spring |
| retailer. The chain opened 50 of its 24-hour | | | | legislative session. It closely resembles the |
| Supercenters throughout the state during 2002 | | | | Maryland measure. Of Wal-Mart's costs to |
| and 2003, and there are nine Wal-Mart stores in | | | | taxpayers she says "It might be tempting to |
| Pinellas County- two Sam's Clubs, three | | | | dismiss this issue as a larger one of corporate |
| Supercenters and four regular Wal-Marts.It is also | | | | welfare, or to argue that we're singling out |
| among the state's largest private employers, with | | | | Wal-Mart unfairly. But facts are facts: Wal-Mart |
| 77,850 employees-far more than the 54,000 | | | | does not just shift health-care costs onto |
| employed at Walt Disney World. According to | | | | taxpayers, it does so at a level well beyond that |
| Wal-Mart's media relations hotline, there are 3,407 | | | | of any other employer."This legislation, if enacted, |
| people employed by Wal-Mart in Pinellas | | | | would apply to private employers with 10,000 or |
| County.With these large employee rosters come | | | | more employees. These companies would be |
| high costs. Wages, overtime, benefits, taxes and | | | | required to spend at least 8% of total payroll on |
| other expenses make staffing and its related | | | | employee health care or pay the difference into a |
| costs the biggest expense for almost all | | | | state-administered fund created to assist the |
| employers. When a company is big enough to | | | | uninsured.Legislation like this is a direct response to |
| employ tens of thousands of people, methods for | | | | the numbers of people on Medicaid. In Florida |
| cutting costs are an issue management visits | | | | alone, an estimated 12,300 of Wal-Mart's 91,000 |
| daily.Often management reduces employee | | | | employees relied on Medicaid for health care |
| benefits-namely health insurance-as a way to | | | | coverage in 2004. Wal- Mart's position is that it |
| keep costs down, and until recently this practice | | | | has more employees on Medicaid simply because |
| was met with little resistance. But this month | | | | it is the state's largest employer.Clearly alarmed |
| legislative action in both Maryland and Pennsylvania | | | | by these legislative actions, Wal-Mart has lowered |
| took exception to this practice. And lawmakers in | | | | its monthly health insurance premiums-some as |
| 28 other states, including Florida, Connecticut, | | | | low as $11 a month-so that more entry level |
| Kansas, Colorado and Tennessee, are preparing to | | | | employees can afford its company health care |
| introduce similar legislation. The face of cost | | | | insurance.Wal-Mart executives are denouncing the |
| savings at the biggest employers-and specifically | | | | campaign, saying the company provides health |
| Wal-Mart-may never be the same.On Jan. 12 the | | | | insurance to nearly half of its employees. Sarah |
| Maryland Senate voted to override a governor | | | | Clark, Wal-Mart Spokesperson, says "More than |
| veto of a bill requiring companies with more than | | | | three-fourths of Wal-Mart associates have health |
| 10,000 employees to pay for some health-care | | | | insurance."She also commented on the general |
| benefits. Dubbed the "Wal-Mart Bill," the legislation | | | | state of American health care by saying "The |
| is aimed squarely at the retail giant. It is already | | | | American people know that catering to the special |
| having a negative effect, as Wal-Mart's shares | | | | interests does nothing to help the 46 million |
| had their biggest decline in a month, closing lower | | | | uninsured individuals in this country. Now is the |
| by 83 cents, soon after the vote.Spurred into | | | | time for legislators across the country to work |
| action by the AFL-CIO, which represent over nine | | | | together to find real solutions to the health care |
| million workers, states are beginning to recognize | | | | challenges facing every state, every business and |
| that healthcare costs must be paid by someone. | | | | every working family."Mandy Minor is the |
| And if it's not employers, the burden often falls | | | | Co-founder and Senior Marketing Consultant for J. |
| on the state. "The bottom line is that our health | | | | Allan Writing and Design Studios. A member of |
| care system is broken-but it didn't just split open. | | | | the American Advertising Federation, Mandy is the |
| Big companies like Wal-Mart are pulling it apart and | | | | Achievements Chair of Ad 2 Tampa Bay and a |
| profiting at taxpayers' expense," says John | | | | staff writer for the Tampa Bay Sun. |
| Sweeney, president of the AFL- CIO.Florida state | | | | |