WATERLOO -- Sheri Ostman remembers what it is like to go without health insurance.

The single mother of two once went nine years without health coverage. "It's a very scary thing," Ostman said. "I won't ever forget where I was."

When she heard about the issues raised by Wake Up Wal-Mart regarding the retail giant's track record on health care for its employees, she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to hear it in person.

Wake Up Wal-Mart's 2006 Change Wal-Mart, Change America tour rolled into Waterloo on Thursday. The tour involves visiting 35 cities in 19 states in 35 days.

The group is taking aim at what it believes are poor business practices by Wal-Mart. Some of the biggest issues the group raises include the health care and pay of the company's work force.

The tour has gained a lot of attention on its swing through Iowa due to the number of potential 2008 presidential candidates speaking at the stops. In Waterloo, Gov. Tom Vilsack and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson spoke at the forum, held at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.

"This nation needs this conversation and debate," Vilsack said.

Both Vilsack and Richardson emphasized the forum was about more than a single company. "It's about every corporation in America having corporate responsibility," Richardson said.

In addition to speaking at the rally, Richardson was also touring the state on behalf of Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver, who is running for governor. Richardson, who is up for re-election in New Mexico, is the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and announced the group was pledging $1 million to Culver's campaign. Half the money has been given to the campaign, with the other half coming Oct. 1.

Richardson is also considered a presidential candidate and said his decision to run in 2008 will be made early next year. Right now, his efforts are on his re-election campaign and his role with the Democratic Governors Association.

During the Wake Up Wal-Mart forum, Richardson commended the group for its work, both on the tour and elsewhere. "Thank you for calling attention to issues relating to America's workers," Richardson said.

Health care concerns were one of the major topics discussed at the event. Chris Kofinis, spokesman for Wake Up Wal-Mart, said 46 percent of the company's work force is covered by the company's health plan, while the average percentage of covered employees in Fortune 500 companies is 68 percent.

Bill Wertz, spokesman for Wal-Mart, said the company conducts focus groups, among other things, during the year to determine the type of coverage its employees, which the company calls associates, are seeking.

"We are making every effort to provide affordable health care to our associates," Wertz said.

Kofinis said one of the reasons associates cannot afford health insurance is because of the wages paid to the employees.

Wertz pointed to the number of job applicants the company receives each time it opens a new store as proof that the company pays a solid wage. Wertz said Wal-Mart typically gets more applications than it can accept when a new store opens.

In Iowa, the average wage for regular, full-time hourly Wal-Mart associates is $10.30 per hour. It employs 17,464 associates in the state.

"We feel that we are providing both pay and benefits that are competative in the retail field," Wertz said.

The tour continues through Iowa, with stops today in Iowa City, Saturday in Des Moines and Sunday in Council Bluffs.

Contact RC Balaban at (319) 291-1418 or rc.balaban@wcfcourier.com.