Jack Layton 1950-2011
2011Bruce Allen 2011-09Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 8 →
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The death of NDP federal Leader Jack ing of sadness and solidarity across the Canadian state. The popularity of Layton, who led his party to unprecedented electoral success on May 2 despite his apparent illness, prompted Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to declare an official state funeral to honour the NDP leader. Normally, such honours are bestowed only on deceased prime ministers and cabinet ministers.
Thousands of working people passed by Jack Layton’s coffin in Parliament in Ottawa, and again at Toronto City Hall. They lined the streets for the funeral procession to a packed Roy Thomson Hall on Aug. 27. Thousands more stood outside the famous concert venue in a nearby square, before giant screens on which the eulogies and musical tributes were Bruce Allen is vice president of CAW Local 199 (writing in a personal capacity). M attended meetings held in early August about any retired employees of GM of Canada (GMC)
the proposed settlement between them and GM of Canada on the future of retiree health-care benefits.
The settlement will put in place the Health Care Trust (HCT) agreed to in the 2009 contract negotiations.
The administrators of the HCT will oversee and allocate these retired workers’ health care benefits.
The retirees listened with concern as they were told that, with the funding GM is providing to the HCT, benefits would be cut to between 77% and 84% of their current level if the fund is to be sustained indefinitely.
Failing that, the fund will eventually run out of money—meaning all health-care benefits will end. At the time of this writing it remains to be seen what benefits will be cut and to what extent.
A principal justification cited for establishing the HCT is that it will sustain health-care benefits if GM goes bankrupt. But the creation of the HCT makes it even more unlikely that will ever happen. GM of Canada President Kevin Williams made this rather obvious earlier this year when he stated that the HCT will reduce Canadian labour costs by over $16 an hour.
8 Socialist Action SEPTEMBER 2011