A national campaign critical of Wal-Mart's health care coverage for employees held a news conference on Long Island Thursday.

Officials from Wakeupwalmart.com will be holding similar conferences in a dozen states to increase public awareness of what they say are unfair practices involving health insurance. A new "fair share" law in Suffolk County requires large retail stores to spend more for employee health care. A similar state law will be introduced next week, and advocates are pushing for the law to be passed in about 30 states.

Wal-Mart officials say they are taking steps to make insurance more affordable for employees. Suffolk's "fair share" law and a similar measure in Maryland are being challenged in court by a national retail association.