Wal-Mart chief executive H. Lee Scott also called for lawmakers to work with companies on the rising cost of health care. "The soaring cost of health care in America cannot be sustained over the long term by any business that offers health benefits to its employees," Scott said in a statement.
Which is pretty rich considering just how large a percentage of Wal-Mart's employees have been foisted off on the localities the stores are in rather than Wal-Mart paying for them as they should. And let's not forget the fact that Wal-Mart is the largest company in the world and returned sizable profits to their investors every year so its not a question of being able to afford it financially, its a question of changing the mentality within Wal-Mart to embrace their workers as their best resource rather than marginalize them and to exploit them for as long as possible until they burn out and quit.
But this is a step (albeit lip service right now since the proof is in their actions, not thier words) in the right direction.
I wonder if anyone's ever mentioned to H. Lee Scott that Wal-Mart is in a unique position to force change in a positive way rather than digging in their heels and being dragged kicking and screaming to the reform table.
They could change their attitude and make the healthcare industry work for them rather than against them. But I guess its hard to see that with all that mad profit, isn't it?
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, healthcare, improvement, reform