The difference between what many retirees earn and the salaries of young workers has reopened the debate on gap between generations. Under the title ‘Rich pensioners and increasingly poorer young people’, the program ‘And Now Sonsoles’ from Antena 3, addressed this topic in which figures and testimonies were presented in a context marked by job insecurity and the unequal evolution of income since the 2008 crisis.
According to the data provided in the program, new retirees receive an average of 1,750 euros per month, while workers under 35 years of age earn around 1,670 euros gross per month. In addition, it was noted that young people have lost 3% of income since 2008, while retirees would have gained 18% in the same period.
The economist Rubén de Gracia, invited to the debate, attributed this difference to “cyclical” factors in the Spanish economy and the way in which these items are managed in the General State Budgets.
Gap between generations
For his part, Curro Cordero, who has been retired for two years with 43 years of contributions and receives a pension of about 1,780 euros that he complements with small jobs as a film extra, stated that he has “more pension than the salary of my daughters”, who work in a supermarket and as a home help, “and on top of that I have 24 hours a day to dedicate to whatever catches my attention.”
From the side of young workers, José Manuel Morales described a situation of persistent precariousness, claiming that “I don’t earn even a thousand euros and I have to live with my parents. And I have had many jobs. At this rate I won’t be able to leave the house, seeing how things are.” María González, also a participant in the debate, compared her salary with her grandfather’s pension, emphasizing that he receives greater income after retirement.
The debate, however, was not without nuances. Journalist María Manjavacas warned of the risk of fueling a generational confrontation. “Retirees are not responsible for the current job insecurity or low salaries. A generational confrontation is being aligned that does not correspond.” And he added that “I don’t want my salary to be affected when I retire, but I also want my daughters to earn a fair salary.”