County rolls back Wal-Mart gift
Albany, NY-- In rebuke of retail giant's policies, lawmakers reject immunization grant

By CATHY WOODRUFF, Staff writer, Times-Union
First published: Tuesday, March 9, 2004

The Albany County Legislature threw back a $1,000 health care grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation on Monday, citing the discount retailer's widely criticized treatment of its workers.
                
"We should send that $1,000 back to Wal-Mart, back to Arkansas, and tell them to give it to their employees for health insurance," said Legislator Gary Domalewicz, D-Albany. "We shouldn't help them enhance their corporate image."

Several legislators echoed those sentiments, noting that the county already may be picking up the health care costs for Wal-Mart employees and their families during extended waiting periods for benefits, for families unable to afford health insurance, and for worker families receiving treatments not covered by the company's plan.

"We'd wind up using the $1,000 to immunize the children of their employees who don't have benefits," said Legislator Alexander Gordon, D-Berne.

Legislator Allen Maikels, D-Guilderland, said a state survey of Georgia's public health insurance program for children, released just last month, found that more than 10,000 of the children enrolled in the program had a parent working at Wal-Mart.

Though Wal-Mart is the largest employer in Georgia, the number of its workers' children enrolled in the program was far more, per employee, than other large employers in the state, the survey found.

"This is a company that has grown exponentially by not paying a living wage and not providing their employees with benefits," Maikels said.
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Rest of article here:
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=226765&category=ALBANY&BCCode=&newsdate=3/9/2004