Corporations taken to task over health-care coverage

[dogday]

Democratic lawmakers and union leaders are developing a bill that would require large employers to provide more money for health care or pay a new state tax.



01:00 AM EST on Thursday, January 12, 2006
BY KATHERINE GREGG
Journal State House Bureau



PROVIDENCE -- Taking their cue from national union leaders, Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty and a like-minded Democratic lawmaker promised yesterday to pursue legislation requiring large employers -- such as Wal-Mart -- to spend more on employee health care or pay a new state tax.

The Rhode Island bill has not yet been drafted or introduced.

But the drive for it, announced yesterday, follows the Jan. 5 announcement by national AFL-CIO president John Sweeney of the start of an organized-labor campaign for similiar legislation in 31 states.

When it is ready, backers here said the bill would require that every employer with 1,000 or more employees pay at least 8 percent of its payroll toward employee health insurance -- or pay the difference into a new state fund.


http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060112_wmart12.18181b01.html