There's an
opinion piece in my local paper today about this:
Amy Hill, director of public affairs for Wal-Mart's western region, told The Olympian that 51 percent of Wal-Mart's employees are enrolled in the company's health care plan. Another 24 percent of the employees are covered under their spouse's plan, under their parents' plan, or through the military, a second job or some other insurance plan.
Employees can cover themselves with a Wal-Mart health plan for as little as $23 a month, and the entire family can gain coverage for a monthly fee of $65, Hill said. The first three doctor visits are free, then employees must meet a $1,000 deductible.
Earlier this week, the Seattle Times reported that two state studies show that more than 3,100 Wal-Mart employees in Washington were enrolled in state-subsidized health coverage as of 2004, nearly twice as many as for any other company.
Hill says the numbers could be outdated because Wal-Mart increased the number of its employee health plans from eight to 18 last year, which generated a surge in enrollment from its 1.3 million workers. She said 30 percent of the employees who go to work for Wal-Mart had no health insurance before they came to the company.
“We are taking people off the uninsured rolls and getting them coverage,” she said.
What she doesn't have a good explanation for is the internal Wal-Mart memo that acknowledges that nearly half of the children of Wal-Mart employees are not covered by health insurance or are covered by Medicaid. She can say only that other businesses face a similar situation.
So I guess we need some fresh data? The sheer vastness of their work force should allow Wal-Mart to offer some good insurance options, although I know health insurance is expensive. However, if they are keeping workers' hours down with unfair labor practices, that might prevent a worker who wants insurance from qualifying to get it. They do have long wait times before a worker can apply - but that is pretty much standard for low-end retail jobs. It prevents people from taking a job, milking the insurance, and then moving to another job.
When I worked retail, I had crappy low pay and didn't have health coverage from my job. I was never full-time though.
Looking at that WakeUpWalmart.com site, I don't know why anyone would expect that one low-end retail worker should be able to support a family above poverty level, including health insurance. That doesn't seem realistic to me, and I was working retail in the 90s when there weren't a lot of Wal-Marts in my area.
It is possible to make good money in retail - the people who sell shoes at Nordstrom make a lot, etc. - so you can work yourself up to a better, more specialized job. I went into custom picture framing and I did better with those skills. But basic stocking/restocking at a big-box store never paid well, even before Wal-Mart was big in the areas where I've lived. And health insurance was hardly plentiful in Retail Land, especially at smaller businesses. I don't think we should compare Wal-Mart to some mythical beast, such as a low-end retail job that provides security and plenty for a small family, but to other everyday retail jobs.
I don't like the big subsidies and inducements Wal-Mart gets from government, but that's not unique to them, and I know the one near me paid for some infrastructure (roads leading to the store got some improvements). Cabela's is looking to park a store in my city and
the city has to figure out how to pay for the needed infrastructure. Personally, I hope it goes through, and I hope Cabela's will spring for some of the needed road work.
