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Wal-Mart workers in Washington need more state help than thought to pay their health care costs Wal-Mart workers in the US State of Washington need more state subsidised health care than what was previously thought. More than 3,000 of them needed help for themselves or their families and this is more than twice the number of any other employer. Two confidential state reports were recently leaked to the Seattle Times, which reports on a strong reaction among state politicians. - I think taxpayers should be outraged, Rep. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma, says to the newspaper. - They are subsidizing one of the wealthiest corporations in the world. According to the reports, more than half of the Wal-Mart workers whose children needed support from Medicaid were working full time, while those working for other employers were nearly all part-timers. This puts once again Wal-Mart's claims to offer its workers health insurance in a questionable light. In Maryland, another US State, legislation has now been put in place which would force Wal-Mart to contribute to its workers' health care expenses by paying a special tax. This would also level the playing field for its competitors, and dismantle some of the pressure against affordable health insurance. Similar initiatives have been introduced all over the United States, resulting in a predictable outcry among the same business circles that recently complained over sinking unemployment numbers as this moves incomes from shareholders to workers. Kroger joined UFCW in health care alliance There are, however, also many responsible employers. In commerce, these include two large US retailers, Ahold-owned Giant Foods, and leading supermarket operator Kroger. Kroger, the largest grocer in the United States, last week announced plans to mobilise its employees and customers to participate in community meetings and online surveys, sponsored by the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group. UFCW president Joe Hansen is one of the fourteen members of this group and has been reaching out to employers such as Kroger to enlist their involvement in this national dialogue. - We are thrilled to have Kroger’s involvement in this effort, said Joe Hansen. - We have sat at the bargaining table together for years trying to plug holes in the levees of a failing health care system. Now, we are working together toward a solution that will help all Americans. - Affordable, high-quality health care for all Americans is one of the most significant challenges facing our nation, said David B. Dillon, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer. - Thanks to the work of the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group, all of us have an opportunity to make our voices heard. In the United States, collective agreements normally provide for employer-supported affordable health insurance for workers and their families.
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