NEW YORK, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- A Walmart memo made public this week outlines plans to cut healthcare costs at least partly by wooing healthier workers.
According to a report published Wednesday in the New York Times, a Walmart internal memo sent to the firm's board of directors advised trimming healthcare expenses through measures such as attracting a younger work force by offering education benefits.
Another suggestion is to give sedentary Walmart staffers, such as cashiers, more blood-pumping tasks, including "cart-gathering," the report said.
The Times story also said the Walmart memo acknowledged the retailer's image problem of being stingy on healthcare and wages, and added that Walmart officials have estimated the cost-cutting plan could save the company more than $1 billion by 2011.
