Washington, D.C. ? Wal-Mart wants to lead the way toward providing health care for millions of workers by 2012.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was joined Wednesday by Service Employees International Union, Intel Corp., AT&T Inc. and Kelly Services Inc. in announcing the goal.

The business and union leaders laid out four main goals, including universal health-care coverage for “every person in America” and raising “the value it (America) receives for every health-care dollar” spent.

Despite praise from SEIU and the Communications Workers of America, Paul Blank, the campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com, which is funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers, gave only tepid support for the plan in a prepared statement.

“If Wal-Mart is truly serious,” Blank said, “we challenge the company to provide universal health care to all of its uninsured employees and their families today.”