'Make Wal-Mart Care about Health Care' Campaign Launches in Arkansas and Nationwide

'Make Wal-Mart Care about Health Care' Campaign Launches in Arkansas and Nationwide

5/31/2005 6:47:00 PM

To: Metro and Assignment desks

Contact: Gordon Brehm, 501-888-3270 or 501-681-3650 (cell)

News Advisory:

-- 'Make Wal-Mart Care About Health Care' Campaign Launches in Arkansas and Nationwide

-- Civic and Community Leaders Hold Press Conferences in 8 States/Demand Wal-Mart Provide Health Care for Workers/ Stop Relying on Taxpayers

Tomorrow, June 1, at 11 a.m., at the Arkansas State Capitol, civic and community leaders will hold a press conference to launch a nationwide campaign to "Make Wal-Mart Care About Health Care." The press conference at is part of a coordinated nationwide launch by Wake-Up Wal-Mart who will be holding press conferences in 8 states.

Speakers at the press conference will address Wal-Mart's health care crisis and the direct cost to taxpayers at both the state and federal. The press conference will begin with a "Wake Up Call" to Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart, in which Scott will be told that it's time for Wal-Mart to provide decent and affordable health care for its workers.

At the press conference, a bill of the "Wal-Mart Health Care Tax" will be presented. The "Wal-Mart Health Care Tax" is a 3- foot-by-6-foot replica of an actual "Wal-Mart bill." The bill displays the dollar cost state taxpayers pay for providing health care for Wal-Mart's workers. Speakers will also be calling on the need for legislative action in the state to ensure that wealthy, multi-billion dollar corporations, like Wal-Mart, stop shifting their health care costs on to taxpayers. Finally, speakers will release a letter to Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart, on behalf of state taxpayers demanding Wal-Mart provide affordable health care for its workers and reimburse state taxpayers for the amount owed.

What: "Make Wal-Mart Care About Health Care" Campaign Kick Off

Where: Arkansas State Capitol Steps

When: 11 a.m.

Who:

-- State Representative Joyce Elliott

-- Former Wal-Mart employee Matt Irvin

-- Reverend Steve Copley

Background

Wal-Mart, a company with $10 billion dollars in net profit last year, fails to provide health care for more than 52 percent percent of its 1.3 million workers. In 12 of 13 states with available data, Wal-Mart workers rely on public health care, like Medicaid, more than the workers of any other employer.

As a result, in state after state, Wal-Mart is directly shifting its health care responsibilities to American taxpayers. Central to the campaign will be a grassroots effort to build public and political pressure against Wal-Mart to address its part in America's health care crisis, as well as a call for legislative action that will ensure Wal-Mart -- not taxpayers -- pays its fair share in each and every state.

The "Make Wal-Mart Care About Health Care" campaign initiative is part of an overall nationwide effort to change Wal-Mart led by wakeupwalmart.com

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