Walmart blames taxpayers for providing health care to it's employees

[MSgt213]

ROGERS, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s chief executive fired back at critics Tuesday, saying labor unions and rival companies are afraid of competition and want to preserve a status quo that lines their pockets and hurts customers.

Lee Scott said Wal-Mart's low prices help the world's biggest retailer to raise the standard of living for the 112 million Americans who shop at its stores each week, many of whom struggle to live paycheck-to-paycheck.

"The truth is a lot of the criticism we get is not right, it's self-serving," he told reporters at a media conference. "I would ask them why they want to deny consumers the benefits of competition."

<snip>
The company dismissed claims it doesn't make affordable health care available to its 1.3 million associates. Wal-Mart said about 85 percent of its workers have health coverage, and about 56 percent are under the company plan.


Wal-mart said employees pay average premiums of $44 a month for a single person, $155 a month for a family. About 7 percent of its employees receive public health care assistance when they start working for the retailer, but that number falls to 3 percent for workers employed for two years.

"There are government assistance programs out there that are so lucrative it's hard to be competitive, and it's expensive to be competitive," Scott said.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/F4A37434A11C8AA086256FDB000995F4?OpenDocument

[mcscajun]

1. Duh. They're not supposed to be competitive with Government Programs.

They are SO freakin' transparent, and yet so engaged in obfuscation. It's a wonder their heads don't explode.

[Just Me]

2. Labor unions are NOT "competitors",...HELLO!!!!!

Labor unions protect workers from corporate sharks!!!!

Everything this man is saying is totally "self-serving" and I'd DEMAND he PROVE that everything he says is NOT "self-serving" *LOL*!!!

The company provides a meager health benefit only to full-time employees in order to "cut costs". Why doesn't the company bitch about the cost of health care rather than exploit its employees' willingness to take any wage rather than suffer the embarrassment of "welfare"?

I'll tell you why: they don't give a damn about anything other than the bottom line - MONEY!!!!

[illflem]

3. "Lee Scott said Wal-Mart's

low prices help the world's biggest retailer to raise the standard of living for the 112 million Americans who shop at its stores each week, many of whom struggle to live paycheck-to-paycheck."

But if people stopped buying all the useless Chinese crap that WalMart sells fewer US jobs would be exported, China won't need nor could afford as much oil as present. Gas prices in the US would go down. In the end the majority of US citizens would at least break even if not come out ahead.

[cynatnite]

9. People stop buying at walmart=lower gas prices?????

That makes no sense at all.

For one thing, I certainly don't see Walmart as being the only evil entity exporting jobs. Lots of those all over the place.

Another thing is that people need to recognize what Walmart does offer and why it gets as much business as it does. Not all Chinese crap. They're super Walmarts now and offer lower prices plus one stop shopping.

The Supercenter here, I can get my oil changed, buy groceris, get prescriptions filled, get hair done, pictures taken and many other things. All this for a lot less money than most other places.

I do shop there on occasion because I can save on things I need and since you nor anyone else does not live my life, it's not up to you to determine what's useless or useful for me or my family.

It's all about the consumer pocketbook. That's one thing I think people around here need to realize. Call it selfish on their part if you'd like, but when a person can get prescriptions, groceries or other necessities cheaper at Walmart than Kroger's, for example, they'll do it.

Check out their website. They rent out movies now, offer internet service, photo development and from what I can see they are always looking out for ways to expand and offer more services to give people one stop shopping.

In the end, it's about more money for the pocketbook and as long as Walmart provides that, people will continue to shop there. With more people living on poverty level income don't be surprised at Walmart making even more money.

You and no one else may not like it, but that's just the way it is.

[whistle]

4. Ahaa, doesn't this statement prove that Wal-Mart exploits its..

...employees on health-care:

Wal-Mart said about 85 percent of its workers have health coverage, and about 56 percent are under the company plan.

So where are the remaining 29% of Wal-Mart employees getting their health-care coverage from? And why does Wal-Mart allow 15% of its employees to go without health-care coverage?

[smoogatz]

7. Excellent point.

This is why Montana's suing Walmart to recoup the cost of providing health care to its employees.

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

5. Hey Wal-Mart

try to lift the standard of living for those who work for you as well. Maybe if you paid more the other businesses could too. As a matter of fact, since you are interested in lifting the standard of living, throw your immense weight behind an increase in the minimum wage.

[applegrove]

6. If only the USA had a universal health care plan. It would not be so

hard on business. Just like with he welfare that a huge percentage of Wal-Mart employees still rely on when after they get hired.

[whathappened]

8. walley world

and there so called health care , my wife pays 33 bucks every 2 week and that adds up to66 not 44 a month as stated , and what you get for the money is not much , very lttle is covered , and walley world has a hold list of things you can sign up for when you hire on , if you signed up for everything they offer , you would end up paying them to work for them , lol , what a joke they asswipes are , they need to take a real good look in at what they are doing to america

[moondust]

10. Wal-Mart tops for Medicaid workers.

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1046701&l=1&t=Iowa+%2F+Illinois&c=24,1046701

Wal-Mart tops for Medicaid workers
By Associated Press
March 4, 2005

DES MOINES — Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, tops a list of Iowa employers with the most workers who receive health care paid for by state taxpayers, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
.
Wal-Mart employs 845 workers in Iowa who received health benefits from the state’s Medicaid program last year, according to a report by the Iowa Department of Human Services. The report was obtained by the AP in a public records request.
.
Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., the worldwide meat supplier, Casey’s General Stores and Hy-Vee Inc. also have hundreds of employees receiving state assistance to pay for their health care, according to the Jan. 25 report.
.
Critics say Iowa taxpayers are subsidizing labor costs for profitable companies that offer inadequate wages and benefits to workers.

~more~

[sinkingfeeling]

11. I'm within 20 miles of WM's Home Office, surrounded by 5 Supercenters,

3 Neighborhood markets, and very little competition to WM. Yet, I have found that I can 'beat' most of their prices elsewhere. My local IGA can match most of their grocery prices and the quality I get there is ten-fold better than at Wal-Mart. 'Cheap' clothing items can be obtained from the Fashion Bug or Fred's or even one of the dollar stores. I get my dog food cheaper at PetsMart or the local pet supply. I worked at their headquarters for over two years (but was not a WM employee) and know what their goals are. They want to squeeze out ALL other grocers and gasoline stations. They want to enter the banking business. Their internet services 'suck' and is not doing well. They pass as much of their 'cost-of-doing-business' expenses to the local governments and taxpayers as possible and still Arkansas passed a 'special' law so that they did not have to pay taxes on their private jet fleet, but the average Arkansan gets to pay sales tax on all their food, groceries, clothes, service charges, and new and used cars (over $500)!! Proud to say I haven't shopped at anything Wal-Mart has in over 3 1/2 years.

[morgan2]

12. "The truth is a lot of the criticism we get is not right, it's self-servin

HAH! it's self-serving, how dare those workers express their opinion. How selfish of them to say that walmart is bad. Those ingrate, no-goodnicks.

[leesa]

13. WalMart destroys competition. This guy Scott is really stuck in opposite

day. What a foul 'say anything for a buck' asshole