The Illinois senator, weighing in on the increasingly politicized debate over Wal-Mart, told a conference call with the union-backed group WakeUpWalMart.com there was a "moral responsibility to stand up and fight" for a better economic future with adequate wages, health care and retirement benefits.
"This is a much broader issue than Wal-Mart but I think the battle to engage Wal-Mart and force them to examine their own corporate values and what their policies and approaches are to their workers and how they are going to be good corporate citizens, I think, is absolutely vital," Obama said.
Obama was one of two potential Democratic 2008 presidential contenders to court WakeUpWalMart in the same day. Former Sen. John Edwards was to speak on a similar national conference call with the group's supporters later Wednesday.
The giant retailer, based at Bentonville, Ark., said it was disappointed the two senators took part in what it called a "politically motivated event that is clearly attacking the wrong company."
"Americans know that Wal-Mart creates jobs, reduces the cost of health care through $4 generics, and is a leader on the environment," spokesman David Tovar said.
"We continue to offer real solution to challenges facing working families, including the skyrocketing costs of health care," Tovar said. As an example, he said, Wal-Mart this year introduced low-premium employee health plans for as little as $11 a month in some areas.
Obama said manufacturing jobs moving overseas increasingly has left Americans with jobs that do not provide adequate wages, career opportunities, health care or retirement security.
Obama said Costco Wholesale Corp., a membership warehouse store more similar to Wal-Mart's Sam's Club chain, pays its workers more and provides health insurance for more of its work force than Wal-Mart does.
"If Costco can do that, it means Wal-Mart can do it. And if Wal-Mart does it, then what we're going to see is other companies recognizing that they have some obligations not only to their shareholders but also to their stakeholders, and that's workers and communities in which they're located," Obama said.
Washington-based WakeUpWalMart.com hosted the call for its members, who it says number more than 285,000, to launch a six-week campaign targeting Wal-Mart during the holiday shopping season.
Paul Blank, WakeUpWalMart's campaign director, said it is not aimed at harming Wal-Mart but rather at forcing it to improve labor practices.
The battle between Wal-Mart and its critics has taken on an increasingly political tone since WakeUpWalMart and another union-backed group, Wal-Mart Watch, were formed last year to pressure the retailer for changes including higher wages and better benefits.
Both sides use political campaign-style tactics, including polling, ads, blogs, direct mail, grass-roots organizing and strategic "war rooms."
Chief Executive Lee Scott took time during a company earnings conference call Tuesday to comment on the Democrats' new majority in Congress, stressing that Wal-Mart is a "bipartisan company" that can work with both parties on issues like health care.
