Around 2,000 people followed the union’s call in Prague to loudly protest the pension reform at a rally. The main point of criticism is the prospect of not being able to retire until the age of 68.
Martina Netrvalova works as a nurse. She says, “I can’t see myself walking around the ward caring for patients at 68.”
“Retire in a way you can still enjoy”
“You should retire in a way that you can still enjoy it. That’s why the retirement cap is so important,” says Stanislav Jindra, a mechanic.
Unions complain that the government’s proposal does not include any special regulations for particularly demanding professions. Josef Stredula, president of the Czech-Moravian Trade Union Confederation, is confident he can turn things around.
“The protest, the reactions of the population and the polls that are being done on this issue will be one of the reasons why the retirement age will not be raised”, said Stredula.
Former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who heads the ANO party, also attended the rally.
Stredula: “I would be very happy if there were no such protests. I would like to see these things cleared up in the debate. Otherwise the problem will get worse.”
If a negotiated solution is not reached, Czech unions are threatening to escalate the protests.