Early retirees with long contribution careers are once again raising their voices in favor of eliminating penalties on their pensions, a fight they have been maintaining for years and for which they have even stood up in the European Parliament to vindicate themselves. This time, in the latest video published by the ASJUBI40 association, several members of the group show their indignation at the ambiguity of the Minister of Social Security, Elma Saiz, in her speech in Congress, where, according to them, she avoided answering the questions posed by deputy Martina Belarde ( Podemos ) about the penalties suffered by people who retire early despite having contributed for more than four decades.
“He didn’t answer anything, he just let out his electoral rally,” reproaches one of the participants, visibly upset. “It is shameful that the generation that has built this country is treated as guilty of everything. They call us unsupportive when we are the ones who have contributed the most to Social Security,” adds another.
You may be interested
Alfonso Muñoz (57 years old), Social Security official: “Penalizing for life someone who has contributed for more than 40 years is unfair”
Lola Meño, forced to retire early at age 59: “with 47 years of working, I have lost 24% of my pension”
“They penalize us for life after 40 years of contributions”
The video reflects the general feeling among the members of Asjubi40: frustration, fatigue and fed up with what they consider to be constant “ignorance” by the Government. “We have been demanding justice for more than ten years and we remain the same. The minister does not answer, does not answer, does not answer,” several interveners repeat.
Retirees remember that in Spain there are groups that can retire at age 60 with 35 years of contributions and 100% of the pension, such as train drivers, artists or teachers, while they, with more than 40 or 45 years of contributions, suffer reducing coefficients that cut their pension for life.
“They give us a life sentence, while others enjoy 100% with fewer years worked. It is a social injustice and discrimination,” they denounce.
“The minister spoke about the weather and the sea, but she did not answer”
During the session in Congress, deputy Martina Belarde posed several direct questions to Minister Saiz: whether the Government had responded to the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament, whether it planned to eliminate penalties for long contribution periods or whether it would receive representatives from Asjubi40. However, according to retirees, none of these questions received a clear answer.
“He told us about the weather and how beautiful the sea is, but nothing about our pensions,” they say ironically. “If the president of Congress had let him speak for five more seconds, all he would have needed to do was say ‘I’m selling for a party,’” comments another of the interviewees in a tone of indignation.
“Stop making fun of penalized pensioners”
One of the hardest moments in the video comes when the members of Asjubi40 refer to the supplement that, according to the minister, would have benefited 104,000 penalized pensioners. “Do you mean a supplement of 10 or 15 euros for those who earn less than 900 euros per month and have been contributing for more than 44 years?” they ask. “Please stop making fun of penalized pensioners.”
The group of these early retirees who have been affected by the penalties are close to 900,000 throughout Spain, having received lifetime reduction coefficients that reduce their pensions by up to 30 or 40% despite having contributed for more than 40 years. “It seems that we are responsible for all the country’s ills, when in reality we have sustained this system for decades,” they emphasize.
“Our votes matter”
At the end of the video, several retirees send a direct message to the Government and the parties that have not yet shown a firm commitment to their cause. “Our votes are worth the same as those of others. We are 900,000 people, and if we are not listened to, you will notice it at the polls,” they warn.
They also thank the groups that have shown support, such as Podemos and other minority parties, and ask for unity to maintain the pressure: “Don’t give up, don’t let yourself be convinced that everything is lost. If we don’t pressure, it will be lost.”
A decade of unanswered struggle
The Asjubi40 association (Early Retirement without Penalty with 40 years of contributions) has been calling for more than a decade to eliminate the reduction coefficients that affect workers with long careers who are forced to retire before the ordinary age.
They have presented non-law proposals in 16 regional parliaments, the majority approved, and a complaint before the European Parliament, where they seek to keep their claim alive given the lack of progress in Congress.
“What we ask is simple: that the effort of a lifetime of work be recognized. We do not want privileges, we want justice,” they conclude.