Obama, Edwards vs. Wal-Mart

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Two possible Democratic presidential candidates - Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and former vice presidential candidate John Edwards - will team up Wednesday with Wal-Mart watchdog group WakeUpWalMart.com to call on the world's largest retailer to "put families first" and become a better employer.

Wakeupwalmart.com said the two Democrats are expected to participate in a national conference call entitled "Call for Change" scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. ET.

The group said both Edwards and Obama will be speaking out about Wal-Mart's need to "put families first and become an employer that reflects the best of American values."

Watchdog groups such as Wakeupwalmart.com and Wal-Mart Watch have seen some success in tarnishing Wal-Mart's image. Specifically, they've consistently criticized Wal-Mart (Charts) about its wage, labor and benefits policies, which they claim are unfair and hurt its 1.3 million employees in the United States.

These groups also allege the retailer's high healthcare premiums tilt workers toward opting for taxpayer-funded public healthcare options, such as Medicaid, for their healthcare needs.

"We are disappointed that Senator Obama and Senator Edwards chose to participate in this politically motivated event that is clearly attacking the wrong company," Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar wrote in an e-mail to CNNMoney.com.

"Americans know that Wal-Mart creates jobs, reduces the cost of healthcare through $4 generics, and is a leader on the environment. People see that Wal-Mart gets good things done," he said.

Wal-Mart, in recent months, has launched its own counter-offensive, such as offering customers a low-priced $4 generic prescription drug program beginning last month.

Wakeupwalmart.com's latest effort against Wal-Mart comes at a time when retailers, including Wal-Mart, Target (Charts), Costco (Charts) and other national chains, are gearing up for the holiday shopping season - one of the most crucial sales period for merchants since it accounts for as much as 50 percent of their annual sales and profits.

Tovar added: "In Senator Obama's home state of Illinois, just last year our company spent more than $12 billion with over 2,700 businesses, generated more than $420 million in tax revenue, and made more than $8.4 million in charitable donations," adding that Wal-Mart employs more than 45,000 people in Illinois.

Here's a clue: Consumers are picky, not dead