The coalition representing nearly all unionized state employees blasted Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday and an analysis he commissioned that outlines options to sell or otherwise privatize John Dempsey Hospital at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which includes all bargaining units except the State Police troopers’ union, said the Democratic governor’s “endless pursuit of privatization and consolidation and dedication to prioritizing corporate interests over the needs of the community is a direct threat to the health and well-being of Connecticut’s residents.
” In a two-page response to the analysis released last week by Cain Brothers, an investment banking firm specializing in health care, union officials also wrote that the report understated Dempsey’s role in serving poor patients, unfairly compared an individual hospital to major health care networks, and ignored the risk of strikes that accompanies many privatization efforts. “Gov. Lamont has the responsibility to support a public health system that serves all of Connecticut in an affordable and accessible way,” the coalition wrote.
“Hiring a corporate-oriented consultant to make a recommendation to ‘fix’ our only remaining public hospital with more privatization and consolidation does a disservice to the growing population of patients that rely on UConn Health for their care.” Lamont spokeswoman Julia Bergman responded Thursday .