Under capitalism, workers are a commodity whose only value is determined by the bosses, based on their ability to create wealth for capitalists. As a worker becomes seemingly less “profitable” to the ruling class their value dwindles in the eyes of capitalism, leaving many older workers unsupported. But Progressive Labor Party (PLP) “retirees” are fighting back! In the face of an insurance merger that is hanging working class folks out to dry, we are loudly calling out this racist, capitalist, for profit system and demanding healthcare the communist way: to each according to need!
In many parts of the world, working people get medical treatments only if they can pay for them. Older workers who no longer produce wealth for the bosses are left to die in poverty. Retired New York City (NYC) workers are currently facing these facts of capitalist exploitation as a new health insurance plan is in the works, promoted by the city and union bosses.
The new plan  “promises”  “cost savings” for the same or better care. Retirees are up in arms. They fear the exact opposite: higher costs and worsening care. Moreover, lower income retirees, mainly Black, Latin and women workers will  be the most severely affected. That’s capitalism. Profits for the capitalists off the backs of “savings” from the workers, with a large dose of racism. The whole capitalist system has to go.
The Municipal Labor Council, a coalition of city worker unions, and the city’s political bosses are contracting our health insurance coverage to a private, for profit, insurance company. This will mean higher premiums for those of us who want to continue with our current insurance. For those of us who accept the new plan there is the potential reduction of care and fewer choices of health care providers. Meanwhile, profits will be guaranteed to the new insurance monolith, a merger of Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Emblem Health.
Retirees are not giving in without a fight. When we found out about the deal that the Municipal Labor Council (MLC) and New York City were planning, all hell broke out. Retired PLP members, active in retiree groups, were part of the struggle from the beginning. Campaigns began to inform retirees of what was happening behind closed doors.
First, angry seniors circulated an online petition to stop the MLC from continuing its bargaining with the city. Over 27,000 signed on. Demonstrations were held at City Hall and at union headquarters. Politicians’ offices and union officials were bombarded by angry phone calls. A court case was filed to stop the change of medical coverage. Currently, there is a temporary order stopping the new coverage changeover. Thousands of those affected participated in online meetings to discuss the changes because we couldn’t meet in person.
All these actions reflected both the fighting spirit that persists  in these older workers but also the ideological hold that bosses’ ideas have on us. Some of us think that the union misleaders will win in court or that these hacks will convince New York’s liberal politicians to pass some laws helping city workers. But we already have up to six retirement “Tiers” for city workers. Each Tier has been worse than the previous one. Now the City is trying to do the same with our health insurance. Liberal politicians or union functionaries are agents of the racist, finance capitalist bosses who run New York City.
Communists on the other hand present a way forward for our class that will get us off the treadmill of constant struggle to survive this racist exploitative system. As we organize and fight back, we advance communist ideas by circulating, CHALLENGE, building study groups and recruiting to Progressive Labor Party. Building the communist movement is the main way we can guarantee the health of our class and it is a struggle that we continue to commit to year after year. Only under communism does a health care system put the health of the working class first and there are absolutely no profits to be made! Fight for communism!