By Doug Cunningham

It would hard to find stranger bedfellows than Wal-Mart and the SEIU, but they've joined the Communications Workers of America, AT&T and other Fortune 500 companies in Better Health Care Together. It's an alliance to fundamentally reform health care to achieve universal health care in the U.S., but without agreement on a specific health care coverage reform plan. SEIU spokesperson Sara Howard.

[Howard 1]: "This problem is ever going to be solved until the business community gets involved. So it's very exciting that business is stepping up to the plate. It's a matter of harnessing the political will to get this done. And what's exciting about today is that we took a big step closer in that direction of getting things done."

Does this undermine or negate efforts by Congressman John Conyers to expand Medicare to cover everyone for all necessary medical needs in a single payer universal heath care plan? That bill is supported by at least 230 labor organizations. Howard sidestepped that question and said this is what's significant about the Wal-Mart/SEIU health care reform alliance.

[Howard 2]: "These two organizations, which have been so far apart on so many other issues, are able to come together in order to state that it is time for everyone in this country to have health care that they can afford. And also to state that all of us - business, government, individuals - we all need to play a role in paying for that. Thats a remarkable moment."