January 6, 2006

WAKEUPWALMART.COM ANNOUNCES AGGRESSIVE EFFORT TO INTRODUCE FAIR SHARE HEALTH CARE BILLS IN 30 STATES

Washington, D.C. – Today, WakeUpWalMart.com announced it will work to introduce and pass Fair Share Health Care legislation in 30 states. Fair Share Health Care legislation, first introduced in Maryland last year, makes sure large, profitable companies, like Wal-Mart, pay their fair share for health care.

The 2006 effort continues an aggressive campaign last year entitled, “”Make Wal-Mart Care About Health Care.”” The campaign included: signing up citizen co-sponsors in all 50 states; helping to introduce the national Health Care Accountability Act sponsored by Senators Kennedy and Corzine and Representative Weiner, hosting hundreds of grassroots house parties in partnership with Democracy for America; and, working with other allies to help educate legislators about this important topic and work with them to introduce this landmark bill in their states.

“”Why would a company with more than $10 billion in profit oppose paying a minimum amount of health care for their workers, their families and their children? It is unconscionable. Wal-Mart has over 600,000 of their workers without company health care, and still has the nerve to oppose a law that would expand health care for their workers,”” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

In Maryland, state lawmakers passed the first Fair Share Health Care bill last year. After Wal-Mart contributed to his campaign, Governor Ehrlich vetoed this important bill with one of Wal-Mart’s top executives standing by his side. The Maryland legislature will vote on whether or not to override Gov. Ehrlich’s veto at the beginning of the 2006 legislative session slated to start Jan. 11th.

Yesterday, in an interview with the Associated Press, Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott said he thinks the Fair Share Health Care bill in Maryland is “”tragic.”” In response, WakeUpWalMart.com will be mobilizing our grassroots supporters to stand up for this important bill and help expand health care for working people in Maryland by holding corporations accountable for their poor policies.

“”What is ‘tragic,’ Mr. Scott, is that Wal-Mart is the only large company in Maryland who fails to pay its fair share for health care. Next week, Maryland lawmakers will be the first to veto multi-billion dollar corporations trying to sneak out of their health care responsibilities and vote for expanding health care to workers,”” added Blank.

Below is the list of states WakeUpWalMart.com and others will be working to introduce Fair Share Health Care bills this year.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

*Maryland (override vote)

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Ohio

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Washington

Wisconsin