Wal-Mart, unions tout universal healthcare

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the largest U.S. labor union have joined a new coalition to promote universal health coverage, the coalition said Wednesday.

The unusual partnership seeks to win public acceptance of healthcare policy principles that include providing affordable health coverage "to all Americans" by 2012, Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott and Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern said at a Washington news conference.

"What unites us here today is our shared belief that it will be a far greater America when we get affordable healthcare for all Americans," said Stern, who has been one of Wal-Mart's harshest critics.

"We believe America can have high quality, affordable and accessible healthcare by 2012," Scott said. "We can slow the growth of healthcare costs in this country and guarantee the uninsured access to good health coverage."

The coalition also includes AT&T Inc., Intel Corp. and the 700,000-member Communications Workers of America union.

"I believe we have virtual unanimity that healthcare reform is an issue whose time has come," said former Reagan administration Chief of Staff Howard Baker, who was also at the news conference.