Wal-Mart CEO: Fair Share Won't Cost Jobs

The cat is out of the bag: Even Wal-Mart admits that state laws making them and other large companies pay for decent health benefits will not cost jobs.

In an article on Maryland's new Fair Share law in yesterday's Baltimore Sun, H . Lee Scott admitted the obvious: employment at big retailers will not be affected by Fair Share laws.

Scott said the legislation would not prevent plans for further expansion in the state. ... Consumer demand, not legislative policy, is the ultimate influence on where the company locates its stores, he said.

"The power is in their hands," he said. "Not in the legislature."

"It's just part of what you deal with," Scott said.

Of course, he could hardly deny it, since Wal-Mart just bought 175 acres in Maryland for a new 900-employee distribution center, just four months after the Maryland legislature passed a law requiring the retail behemoth to significantly increase their health care spending. Still, it's nice to see Scott acknowledge the obvious: by boosting demand, high wages and benefits are good for the economy.

Now we just need to get Scott to come up to New York and explain to the State Senate why passing Fair Share won't kill jobs.