January, 2006

Corporate Responsibility, Economic Justice, Health Care, Press Releases, Retail, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart

WakeUpWalMart.com Statement on MD State Legislature’s Override of Gov. Ehrlich’s Veto on Fair Share Health Care Bill

Jan 13, 2006

“”This is a great day for workers, families and children in the state of Maryland and sends an inspiring message across America that billion dollar corporations, like Wal-Mart, will have to pay their fair share for health care.

This vote makes sure Maryland will stay immune from the Wal-Mart health care crisis. The vote expands health care for workers, stops large, profitable companies from shifting their health care costs onto taxpayers, and makes sure all large, profitable employers pay their fair share for health care.

Maryland state legislators have set a trailblazing example that other states will follow. Already, WakeUpWalMart.com is building on the momentum in Maryland and will introduce Fair Share Health Care legislation in at least 30 states this year.

Unfortunately, even on the eve of the vote, Wal-Mart still doesn’t get it. They lost this vote because the American people are tired of big corporations taking advantage of them. Fair Share Health Care helps expand health care for Wal-Mart’s workers and all working families. How Wal-Mart can hire high-priced lobbyists to defeat this bill, and still look their workers in the face and tell America they support working families, is beyond comprehension.

Hopefully, one day soon, Wal-Mart will hear the message loud and clear – you should not profit by exploiting your workers. This vote proves, if Wal-Mart won’t choose to do the right thing on its own, the American people and their lawmakers will hold them accountable.”"

Economic Justice, Health Care, Press Releases, UFCW Values

UFCW International Union Statement on Wal-Mart Fundraising for Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich

Jan 11, 2006

(Washington, DC) – On the CNBC “Street Signs” program this afternoon, Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich danced around the issue of his financial relationship with Wal-Mart Stores.   Ehrlich is now fighting to stop a legislative override of his veto of the “Fair Share Health Care Fund Act” that would require Wal-Mart to pay a minimum amount for employee health care benefits as do other large employers in Maryland.

Despite the Governor’s evasion of the facts, the public deserves to know that Wal-Mart hosted a fundraising reception on behalf of the Governor on December 15, 2004, just months before he vetoed the health care bill.  The invitation makes it very clear that Wal-Mart is the sponsor of the $1,000 per person event and that the Governor is the beneficiary since it states, “Make Checks Payable to Bob Ehrlich for Maryland Committee.”  A copy of the invitation is available by clicking here.

The 825,000 Marylanders who lack health insurance deserve to know the true financial relationship between the Governor and Wal-Mart Stores as he fights against the legislation that will provide fair health care for all the state’s citizens, even those who work for Wal-Mart.

The fundraiser was reported on by the Washington Post (5/4/05) and the Baltimore Sun (12/28/04).

Joseph Hansen, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, appeared on the same CNBC program as Governor Ehrlich and was asked questions concerning Ehrlich’s seeming denial of the fundraising event.

Corporate Responsibility, Economic Justice, Health Care, Legislation, Press Releases, Retail, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart

WAKEUPWALMART.COM LAUNCHES “”FAIR SHARE HEALTH CARE”" TV AD CAMPAIGN IN MARYLAND

Jan 10, 2006

Washington, DC – Today, WakeUpWalMart.com, America’s campaign to change Wal-Mart, launched a TV advertising campaign as part of a statewide grassroots mobilization effort calling on state legislators to override Governor Robert Ehrlich’s veto of Fair Share Health Care legislation. As part of the campaign, WakeUpWalmart.com also released results from a new Zogby Poll confirming a clear majority of Marylanders believe Fair Share Health Care legislation should become law.

“”There is no plausible reason why Wal-Mart and Governor Ehrlich would oppose expanding health care for working families and their children.  Maryland taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill because Wal-Mart, a company with $10 billion in profits, fails to pay its fair share for health care,”" said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

The ad, titled “”Fair Share”" calls on all concerned Maryland citizens to contact their state legislators and ask them to support making Fair Share law by overriding Gov. Ehrlich’s veto.  The ad states, “”If Wal-Mart and Governor Ehrlich win, children, families and Maryland taxpayers lose.”"

The 30-second TV spot will begin airing throughout the state of Maryland on Tuesday, January 10, 2006. A copy of the ad is available for immediate viewing on the WakeUpWalMart.com website. A transcript of the ad is attached below.

As part of this week’s initiative, WakeUpWalMart.com also released results from the first Zogby Poll on the Fair Share Health Care debate. The Zogby poll shows a clear majority of Marylanders support Fair Share Health Care legislation and believe it was wrong for Gov. Ehrlich to veto the legislation in the first place.

According to the Zogby Poll, 66% of Maryland adults agreed with the statement that “”The veto should be overridden by the state legislature. Fair Share Health Care legislation is good for Maryland and should become state law.”"

The Zogby poll also found Maryland voters believe Gov. Ehrlich was wrong to veto Fair Share Health Care legislation by more than a 2 to 1 margin.  45 percent thought vetoing was the wrong decision, while only 19 percent felt it was the right decision.

Most striking, 74 percent of voters, when asked to look ahead to the 2006 statewide elections believe that an elected official’s decision to vote against Fair Share Health Care legislation will have either “”a great deal”" or “”some”" influence on whether they choose to support that candidate for re-election.

Zogby International conducted the telephone poll on 12/26-27/05 with a sample of 700 respondents. The margin of error was +/- 3.8 percentage points. The poll was commissioned by WakeUpWalMart.com. The poll was conducted on December 26-27, 2005.

“”Wal-Mart has spared no expense to try and kill this landmark health care legislation.  Why would Wal-Mart oppose paying its workers their fair share for health care?  How can Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s CEO, look any Wal-Mart associate in the eye and explain this outrageous stance?”" asked Blank.

The breakdown of the poll results are below.

“”Fair Share”" Ad Script

What is Governor Ehrlich thinking?

Wal-Mart, a company with $10 billion in profits, isn’t paying its fair share for health care.

So nearly one out of every two children of Wal-Mart workers have no health care or rely on taxpayer programs.

Now, Governor Ehrlich and Wal-Mart want to kill Fair Share Health Care legislation in Maryland.

If Wal-Mart and Governor Ehrlich win, children, families and Maryland taxpayers lose.

Call your state legislator and support the Fair Share Health Care Act.

Please view the ad at www.WakeUpWalMart.com.

Zogby Poll/ Results & Questions Released

What do you think is the most important issue facing Maryland today? [Multiple answers/Rank order]

Overall Percent
a. Public Schools/Education    92
b. Health Care                      90
c. Job growth and economy    82
d. Traffic and transportation   71
e. Environment                      68
f. Taxes                                67
g. Terrorism                          61
h. Political corruption             60
i. Illegal Immigration             59
j. Corporate abuse                54
k. Other [record]                   0.2

Looking ahead to the 2006 statewide elections in Maryland, how much of an influence, if any, will an elected officials decision to vote AGAINST Fair Share Health Care legislation have on whether you then choose to support that candidate for reelection?

a. A great deal of influence      26                Influence   74
b. Some influence                   48
c. Very little influence              14                Little /No Influence 21
d. None/ No influence at all       7
e. Not sure (Do not read)          5

As you may know, Fair Share Health Care legislation is the name of the bill that would require large companies with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health care benefits for their workers. The Maryland state legislature passed Fair Share Health Care legislation but Governor Robert Ehrlich then vetoed the bill before it became law. In early January 2006, the legislature will be voting on whether or not to override the Governor’s veto.

At this time, which statement is closest to what you believe – statement A or statement B?

a. Statement A – The veto should be overridden by the state legislature. Fair Share Health Care legislation is good for Maryland and should become state law.

b. Statement B – The veto should NOT be overridden by the state legislature. Fair Share Health Care legislation is bad for Maryland and should NOT become law.

Results (%)

Statement A                    66
Statement B                    21
Neither/Not sure              25

Do you believe that Maryland Governor Ehrlich did [right thing or wrong thing] when he vetoed Fair Share Health Care legislation earlier this year?

a. right thing                     19
b. wrong thing                   45
c. not sure                        36