Health (8% payroll tax) Bill marks Union's first victory against Wal-Mart in MD

Baltimore Sun ^ | 4/15/05 | Andrew A. Green and David Nitkin

[marylandrepub1]

The groundbreaking legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly this month requiring Wal-Mart to pay more of its workers' health care costs is the first victory in a nationwide effort by the Service Employees International Union to change the retail giant's labor practices. The union doesn't represent retail or grocery workers in Maryland but has turned the state into a testing ground for its campaign to oppose Wal-Mart strategies that union President Andrew L. Stern says are driving down wages and benefits for other workers.

The legislation requires a company with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of its payroll on worker health care. Otherwise, the company must pay the difference into a state fund to expand health coverage. Wal-Mart is the only firm that would be affected.

The bill faces a veto threat from Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and is the object of national scorn from conservatives, including radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh.

[G.Mason]

"When the Canadian unions tried to force Wal-Mart to hire only union employees, Wal-Mart simply shut the store down. Though I do shop at Wal-Mart, and am a resident of Maryland, I would applaud them if they did the same here."

And I applaud you!

I am drawn, like a moth to a flame, at these Walmart posts. The wackers come out in droves and it makes for great entertainment.

I love Walmart ... the armies of workers, full shelves and low prices. Hell, they even have the same Chinese products as the high priced stores. ;)

[Gabz]

Every time I turn around they are building a new WalMart in Delaware.......and I understand there are 3 new ones and a proposed distribution center slated for construction on the Eastern Shore.

I really hope Erlich vetoes this.

[Gabz]

The really pathetic thing is that WalMart already spends 7+% on employee health benefits.........

[FormerLib]

Ok, WalMart needs to sell off 1/3 of their Maryland stores to a subsidiary owned, but not operated by, WalMart.

In your eye, leftists!

[Gabz]

The real kicker is that Wal*Mart is working on a distribution center on the Eastern Shore that would employ a significant number of people. The site happens to be in Senate Minority Leader J. Lowell Stoltzfus's (R - Somerset County) district.

And the Eastern Shore needs the jobs. I'm in VA, not MD, but close enough to the state line to know that many of the jobs at that distribution center will go to VA folks. heck a good proportion of the employees at the Pocomoke WalMart are VA residents.

[demkicker]

Tomorrow's headline will more likely be WalMArt closes Maryland stores and fires 5002 employees.

That might not be too far fetched. Rush was talking about this last week and said all Wal-Mart has to do is close some stores in towns close to state lines and move them across to other states. Then, those dimwit dem bastards in Maryland's General Assembly will not only have to answer to those they caused to lose their jobs, but the legions of voters who love shopping at their local Wal-Mart.

I pray Wal-Mart will follow Rush's advice.

[Gabz]

The MD WalMart I shop in is only about 6 miles from the VA line............we could sure use those jobs here in this county :)

[cookcounty]

Let's see, "Congress can't pass a bill regarding Schiavo because it would be a bill that is aimed at a single situation.......but......."

[marylandrepub1]

HAFER v. MELO, 502 U.S. 21 (1991)

What's the connection between the two cases?

[cbkaty]

Apparently the State of Maryland did not read the newpaper stories about Walmart's reaction to the union in Quebec.....

Walmart......I await your NEXT STEP....

If this law takes hold it will surely spread.......

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Thank you! That is what I asked in post #3!

[demkicker]

The MD WalMart I shop in is only about 6 miles from the VA line............we could sure use those jobs here in this county :)

I love it! You need to call Wal-Mart's corporate office and suggest they move the store to your town. Here's the number: 479-273-4000

Let me know what they say...

[lemura]

all Wal-Mart has to do is close some stores in towns close to state lines and move them across to other states.

Out in Nevada, Costco wanted to put a store in Carson City (Ormsby County) but was blocked by various political factions. Instead, they located their store just south literally on the county line within Douglas County.

Even better, US 50 (the main drag over the mountains in/out of Lake Tahoe) runs about 100 yrds from the store from where it intersects with US 395 (the main drag from SoCal all the way up to Oregon in the Eastern Sierras).

The thing is massive; fuel pumps outsides for truckers/RVs (and of course cars) and everything you'd need inside. We were down in Bridgeport the next day getting some coffee and the shop had some nice muffins. A local told us to get some home made muffins across the street - the owner of the coffee shop made the 100m treck each weekup to the Costco to stock up on his goods!

[demkicker]

I love it win politicians cut their noses off to spite their faces. Makes them more recognizable.

[Libertarian444]

Wal-Mart should build a bunch of stores just outside the Maryland border in Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Siphon a ton of sales tax dollars out of Maryland and watch the Marxists squeal.

[Gabz]

I doubt they'll say anything...........I've heard 2 conflicting stories about why there is no WalMart in this county....one being the typical NIMBY whiners and the other because the population size is far too small. I'm more inclined to believe the latter.

[Gabz]

I don't think Delaware has anymore room for any more WalMarts near the MD line, except up north where they are (were) planning 3 new WalMarts in Maryland.

[demkicker]

Just the same, why not make the call? If for no other reason, you can offer support for them to beat this stupid law.

[CollegeRepublican]

Ehrlich will veto this bill, but the veto has a good chance of being defeated. I am not really a Walmart shopper, but if this bill passes, I hope Walmart moves out of Maryland.