Connecticut CWA Activist Handcuffed for Health Care

Determined to make universal health care a reality in Connecticut and frustrated by broken promises from lawmakers, CWA member Rich Benham and 21 other labor activists decided they needed to show the legislature how serious they are.

June 1, following a rally that drew more than 400 union members to the capitol in Hartford, the group now known as the "Health 4 You 22" peacefully blocked entrances to the Senate, House and governor's office.

After several warnings from police, they were each handcuffed, arrested, cited for breach of peace and let go.

Benham, vice president for customer information services in CWA Local 1298, was the only CWA member among the 22. Others included Autoworkers, Machinists, Teamsters, Teachers and members of the New England Health Care Employees Union.

Benham has been leading a Local 1298 project funded with a $25,000 grant from the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. The money is being used to educate members about the broken health system and how to fix it.

The foundation, whose board includes labor representatives, describes itself on its website as an "independent, nonprofit charity dedicated to making the health care system work for all Connecticut residents. The Foundation believes that health care is a fundamental right. It sees its work as part of a larger movement for social and economic justice."

Before last year's elections, Benham said politicians made promises to labor and to the foundation to take up universal health care. Though some lawmakers in the Democratic-led House and Senate have tried, the legislation has stalled. Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Jodi Rell has refused to respond to the foundation's proposals.

"We submitted a plan, we sent letters – we delivered over 2,000 Christmas cards saying "All I want for Christmas is universal health care. But there's been no response," Benham said.

Led by the UAW, hundreds of union members turned out for the June 1 rally, which followed a candlelight vigil by the faith-based community the night before. Feeling that more action was needed to get lawmakers' and the media's attention, Benham and the 21 others volunteered for civil disobedience.

Two of the 22 pleaded guilty to the charges, primarily because summer vacations were going to get in the way of later court dates. But 20 others, including Benham, plan to fight the charges and keep the issue in the news. They are headed back to court June 21.

A video of the protests and arrests is on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5G8Re49EOw