(The AFL-CIO issued the following news release on April 12.)
WASHINGTON — Last week, the Maryland state legislature took a big step towards promoting greater access to health care for working families and towards leveling the playing field for Maryland businesses. Governor Ehrlich has indicated that he will veto the bill.
This is tragic. The Fair Share Health Care legislation would ensure that those responsible employers that provide health insurance to their employees would no longer have to compete with those companies that do not. Although four employers in Maryland have over 10,000 employees, only one, Wal-Mart, refuses to pay the bill’s required 8 percent of payroll on health care. By not paying its fair share, Wal-Mart is forcing taxpayers and responsible businesses to pick up the tab where it refuses to.
Wal-Mart is the number one company on the Fortune 500 list. Its CEO, Lee Scott, made over $23 million last year. His salary alone could provide affordable health coverage for all 15,000 Wal-Mart employees in Maryland*employees who are already making substandard wages in jobs that can’t support a family. It’s not that Wal-Mart can’t afford to do better. It’s that Wal-Mart chooses not to.
I applaud Maryland legislators for acting on behalf of its citizens and business community, and encourage Governor Ehrlich to show some leadership and tell Wal-Mart to stop lining its pockets with taxpayer money.