Among the problems that most concern Spaniards currently, in addition to the housing crisis, is the sustainability of pensions. There are many economists, like Gonzalo Bernardos, who denounce the uncertain future of pensions in Spain because it is assumed that ‘there will be few people to pay them’ (who contribute to Social Security). But, in addition, within the issue of pensions there is another problem that currently affects many retirees and it is none other than the reducing coefficients.
This problem especially affects workers who began working as teenagers and have achieved long careers of contributing to Social Security. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration is cutting the final amount of the pension for those who decide to retire early involuntarily. This is being considered a true “injustice” for these workers, who, beyond losing their job on the verge of retirement, are also forced to retire with the convenient cuts that this produces in their retirement pensions.
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One of the many cases of people affected is that of Cándida Jiménez, a pensioner who has seen her pension reduced by the application of the reducing coefficients, despite having contributed for more than 44 and a half years. Cándida is part of the ASJUBI40 association, an organization that fights to eliminate these coefficients and that, through its YouTube channel, offers space to those who have seen their pension cut for different reasons.
Cándida Jiménez, affected by the reducing coefficients: “They penalized me with 13%”
The testimony of Cándida Jiménez, member of ASJUBI40, exemplifies the difficult situation that hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Spain are going through. In the video published by the association, he says that he retired “at 63 years old involuntarily due to health issues”, which caused them to apply a 13% reduction to his pension, despite having contributed for more than 44 and a half years. “But not until the age of 65, but for life, a life sentence,” explains the affected person, who also emphasizes that “the passive classes can do it at the age of 60 and only 35 have 100% contributions.”
“Is this fair? No, this is a colossal injustice, and that is why we demand that the Government of the day and all political parties eliminate such unfair reduction coefficients,” cries Jiménez. His case represents the more than 860,000 people in Spain who, according to data from ASJUBI40, suffer the impact of these cuts in their retirement pensions.
An injustice that affects thousands of workers
This “injustice” of Social Security reflects the reality of thousands of workers who are forced to retire early, although they have enough years to receive 100% of their pension. For this reason, ASJUBI40 continues to promote its fight to demand from the Government what they consider a right after decades of effort and contributions.
44 years of contributions and 13% less pension
Despite having worked and contributed for more than 44 and a half years, Cándida was forced to retire before turning 65, facing a 13% penalty. In practical terms, this means that you receive only 87% of the pension that would correspond to you. A paradoxical situation, since a worker with 31 years of contributions could receive the same percentage as her, despite having many fewer years of contributions.
Many of the people affected by this problem began working as teenagers, in workshops, the countryside or factories, in conditions that would be illegal today. These long years of effort and contribution, far from representing an advantage, have become an obstacle. ASJUBI40 seeks precisely to reverse this situation, giving a voice to those who have dedicated their entire working life to work and now demand a retirement without unfair penalties.