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Poles protest pension reform

March 30, 2012

Poland has become the latest EU country to consider raising its retirement age. And like virtually every other country before it, the measure has sparked heated opposition from union supporters.

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Polish workers protest blowing horns and whistles
Image: AP

Thousands of people staged noisy protests outside the Polish parliament on Friday voicing opposition to government plans to raise the retirement age to 67.

Police estimated about 10,000 people showed up to the demonstration, which was organized by the Solidarity trade union. The protesters, many of them blowing horns and waving union banners, gathered as the lower house of parliament reviewed the bill.

Poland currently allows women to retire at 60 and met at 65. The center-right government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk is following several other European countries with plans to raise the retirement age, arguing it will increase pensions and lower the public debt.

The retirement age for women would raise gradually to 67 by the year 2040. The male retirement age would reach 67 by 2020.

Solidarity leader Piotr Duda said the reform would force Poles to choose between "working until death or quickly dying of hunger."

Lawmakers were also considering a petition signed by some 1.4 million Solidarity supporters calling for the pension reform to be put to a referendum.

acb/msh (AP, AFP)