Retiring later?

SPÖ: Don’t play young against old

Josef Muchitsch, a member of the Bau-Holz trade union, is not very happy with Agenda Austria's pension proposal.

(Bild: SEPA.Media KG | Martin Juen | www.sepa.media)

Following a study by Agenda Austria, the dispute over the retirement age continues. SPÖ social spokesman Josef Muchitsch is now countering the "false" figures. 

Just over a week ago, a story in the "Krone" caused a stir. It was about the SPÖ's call to work. "45 years is enough", postulated boss Andreas Babler and the trade union. In fact, nobody really disagrees with this. However, Agenda Austria did the math and came up with some astonishing results.

On average, 45.6 percent of Austrians reach this mark, and only 4.3 percent of women - a total of 25 percent.

Muchitsch counters with his own figures
This has caused trade union boss Josef Muchitsch to raise an eyebrow. He has other figures and refers, for example, to disability pensions or to people who work abroad for a good part of their lives - "and lo and behold, 74% of men will have retired in 2022 after 45 years of insurance or more. For up to 88 percent, it will be at least 42.5 years."

A meaningful evaluation of the insurance months must therefore be limited to old-age pensions and also be adjusted for intergovernmental partial benefits.

It is obvious that 45 years is hardly possible for women with a standard retirement age. However, Muchitsch also has objections to the agenda here. "More than half of women retiring in 2022 will have at least 40 years of insurance." The Agenda's figures are incorrect, the union points to those of the Pension Insurance Institution (PVA). 

Actual retirement age increases
The economic-liberal think tank's desire for an automatic retirement age (in line with rising life expectancy), as in most other countries, is also contradicted here. "Only 9 EU countries have this."

Agenda economist Denes Kucsera also criticizes the stagnating retirement age, while life expectancy is increasing. This means that people are working for less time, a trend that will not change. Muchitsch replies that the actual retirement age has risen since 2000 - by 3.6 years for men and 3.3 years for women.

"Reforms are effective and safe"
SPÖ social spokesperson Josef Muchitsch: "The SPÖ will not allow false figures to be used to constantly divide young against old. The last few decades have proven that the pension reforms to date are effective and safe."

The Agenda, on the other hand, emphasizes that the statutory retirement age must be raised. And the fact is - the pension system is an enormous cost factor. According to calculations, 140 billion will have to be spent between 2022 and 2026 to plug the pension gaps alone.