Moving into even higher gear

As crucial votes on health care reform near in the Senate, CWA's Health Care Campaign - which has been pretty intense for more than a year - is stepping up even more.

Here's some of what's going on this week:

• CWA President Larry Cohen was among about half a dozen labor leaders who met with key health policy and political aides at the White House Monday.  The message from the union officials: Don't tax our benefits.
• Local CWA activists from Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri and California are participating this week in an AFL-CIO "fly-in," coming to Washington for meeting Wednesday and Thursday with their senators and representatives.
• A worksite phone-in campaign, which generated 1,800 calls to the Seante last week, will continue.  More calls will provide important back-up for the "fly-in" activists by showing elected officials that lots of voters care about health reform that fixes the system and doesn't tax benefits. Members are asked to call 1-888-580-0792 to be connected with their senators.
• CWA has launched an internet ad campaign, called "a pretty innovative advancement for a union" by the Web site FireDogLake.  The ads feature CWA members talking about how they can't afford a tax on benefits.
• CWA's stop-the-health-benefits tax effort launched its own Facebook page. That's in addition to the regular CWAHealthCare page on Facebook.
• There are plans for press conferences, Capitol Hill briefings and the release of several studies. Stay tuned for details.