Wal-Mart, Unions Call for Health Care Revamp

WASHINGTON -- Declaring that “employer-based health care is dead,” a coalition of labor unions and businesses, including Wal-Mart Stores, called on lawmakers to remake the health care system here Wednesday. The group, which called itself “Better Health Care Together,” paired Service Employees International Union and the Communications Workers of America with employers such as Wal-Mart and AT&T. The SEIU funds Wal-Mart Watch, a group that has been sharply critical of Wal-Mart. “We need fundamental change, and it is going to take new thinking, leadership, new partnerships, some risk taking and compromising to make it happen,” Andy Stern, SEIU president, said at a press event attended by Lee Scott, Wal-Mart‘s chief executive officer. Scott in a statement said: “By following this campaign‘s common sense principles, we believe America can have high-quality, affordable and accessible health care by 2012. We can slow the growth of health care costs in this country and guarantee the uninsured access to good health coverage.” Joe Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers here, in a statement expressed support for health care reform but added “it‘s not appropriate to take the stage with a company that refuses to remedy its mistreatment of workers, among other irresponsible practices,” referring to Wal-Mart.