Pensioners in the Basque Parliament will demand that their minimum income be equivalent to those of the SMI
The Pensioners' Movement of the Basque Country will present the popular legislative initiative in the House of Vitoria-Gasteiz. A deadline is given until 24 April to collect more signatures and all persons over the age of 18 registered in the three territories are invited: Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. One in three pensioners receives at least one month the minimum income rate, mostly women.
In the Spanish state, the minimum income index SMI was set at 1.134 euros per month in 2024. The Pensioners' Movement of the Basque Country has proposed a system that would complement access to the SMI for pensioners over 60 who do not reach that age and who are called the "Basque system to complement pensions". The Basque Government has the competence and the means to pass this law.
To this end, the movement has launched a collection of signatures. At least 10,000 signatures must be gathered, a barrier that has already been overcome some time ago, but they want more to show that they have greater support, and they have appealed to the citizens of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa to sign the document. The period shall remain open until 24 April.
They have called for the support of the whole of society, because they affect the whole of society, including young people, the issue of pensions. As pensioner Ana Sarobe said, "what comes to support pensioners is not doing it to us, but is doing it in defence of their rights". In October 2021, at ARGIA 2750, Miren Artetxe gave him an interview.
One in three pensioners, below the SMI
According to the Pensioners' Movement of the Basque Country, the minimum pensions established in Hego Euskal Herria are insufficient to live in dignity. In fact, one in three recipients of pensions below the SMI index in Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, 70 per cent of whom are women. Most women below this rate also note that they receive only EUR 850 per month: "It's impossible to live in dignity with that amount."
Gender gap exceeds 30%
It is fair and reasonable, according to pensioners, that every person who has devoted his or her life to work has the right to live with dignity in the last years of his or her life. "Now we don't have those things anymore," they said. Even more so considering that old age is a vulnerable life stage.
Furthermore, the proposed pension supplements system would also help to narrow the gender gap. The gender gap, according to the pensioners’ movement, is greater than 30%. As women have traditionally been discriminated against in the world of work, rather than paid and unvalued care, they receive modest pensions once they reach retirement age. "With our demand, this social claim would lead to a more just and tailored solution to the needs of society," they said.
System designed outside the family nucleus
Following the presentation of the popular initiative, although the document contains 13 points, the promoters have highlighted the third article of the initiative. When talking about ways of accessing the pension, pensioners speak in a way that would not take into account the living environment and the family nucleus. That is, that this supplementary pension is not conceived as the nucleus of coexistence, but as an individual, as the income or pension of the family members independently. The family core is included in the Income Guarantee Income.
One in three receives it below the SMI, 70% of which are women
The measure is not designed for each and every pensioner. Indeed, among other circumstances, the perception of the supplement will require the accreditation of the situation of need. In other words, the beneficiary does not have an annual income in excess of the SMI, real estate or otherwise, with an annual computation value exceeding five times the SMI.
Start the campaign
The demonstrators have met with trade unions and parties before presenting a citizens' initiative and, according to the movement, no one has been against the motion for a resolution. They will, however, meet again with them to take a favourable position in Parliament at the time of the vote. In addition, the Council will send to all the municipalities of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa the request for support for the initiative of the Council of Gipuzkoa.
They do not intend to stand still. In addition to his willingness to continue to mobilize every Monday, a public event will be held in Bilbao with the support of some 250 known people, on a date not yet reported, and a mass gathering is being prepared in the capital of Alavesa.
Over 170 people will be responsible for collecting signatures from each village. Among other things, talks will also be organized on the streets of the city and details will be made available.
