Pension shield
- The Toledo Pact has agreed to re-link the increase in pensions with the CPI in order to maintain purchasing power. This is the main economic news of recent days in the Basque Country. But that binding agreement is not final. Nor is it clear what is meant by “real CPI”. The last word is from the Spanish Government. To begin with, the President of the Spanish Government said in New York that he would endorse the agreement reached in the Toledo Pact. It is clear that the mobilisations of pensioners, and in particular Basque pensioners, have been decisive for all political groups to accept the agreement.
Although the news is satisfactory, this agreement is not yet sufficient if we take into account the demands and the screams that are on the street, and this Monday in Bilbao even stronger. In order for this agreement to be sufficient and dignified, the Basque pensioners believe that three other things have to be accepted. First, to shield the pensions and not leave them subject to the pretensions and occurrences of the government in turn, as we have suffered from those of the government of the PP. Secondly, the annual implementation of the real CPI in a committee of independent experts. Finally, guaranteeing a decent minimum pension for all pensioners, which in the case of Euskal Herria would be EUR 1,080 per month, according to various platforms.
How to shield pensions? It's clear to anyone who wants to understand. The most transparent thing is that the Constitution of the Spanish State incorporates this shield in its fundamental articulation and after each community – including the CAV and Navarre – transposes it into its own regulations. If it is left to the governments forever, it would be to let the People’s Party do the same thing it has done in recent years: to freeze pensions in practice on the pretext of the economic crisis.
What is the thought of the small trace of the complaints made on 28 April and that their only succession is the continuous chain of accidents and deaths of workers. In Azkoitia, once again in construction, a 62-year-old worker dies in a very common and therefore avoidable... [+]
When grandparents were young, retirement was represented as a time to enjoy life. Period of collection of the fruits of the work carried out during these years. What a satisfaction! It is a pity that young people today are never able to feel. You might think I'm a pessimist, but... [+]
