120 union leaders including A.F.L.-C.I.O. president John J. Sweeney and Bruce S. Raynor, the president of Unite, the nation's largest apparel workers' union were arrested for civil disobedience at a rally to support workers on strike at Yale University. Workers at Yale went on strike 18 days ago; rejecting the university's new contract proposal which they believe contained an increase in wages and pensions that was far too low. Representatives for Yale believe that they are offering a fair contract and criticize the rallies as unions' national campaign to attract media attention.
See Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, September 14, 2003