Pension reform : the shocking lies of the PS
Daniel Bacquelaine prefers a debate on the pension reform on the basis of arguments, rather than through a discourse based upon falsehoods narrowed down to populism.
PS must stop selling lies
In a newspaper article in Le Soir of December 4 the Socialist Party (PS) describes the pension reform as "unfair, illogical and contradictory", by giving concrete examples. Once again, the Socialist party seeks solace in the weapon of disinformation within the pension debate.
Minister Bacquelaine reacts : « An unfair, illogical and contradictory pension reform ? On the contrary, the pensions of our children and grandchildren are at risk ! I am open to any dialogue with the opposition, but I request the PS to stop selling lies, with which they only instil fear amongst the people ».
Our fellow citizens will indeed need to work a little longer. However, this does not imply - as I have explained many times before - that anyone who works will have to do this up to 66 or 67 years, as the PS constantly is trumpeting around. Despite the fact that the statutory retirement age currently is set at 65 years, less than 10% of the active population is working up to that age.
Contrary to what the Socialist Party pretends, the fact of working a little longer, will allow citizens to have the amount of their pension increase. Moreover, the government will strengthen the second pillar in order to maintain the purchasing power of pensioners and even increase it.
The Socialist Party is trying to make believe that some workers would have to climb up scaffoldings up to the age of 67. Again, this is untrue and this type of of judgements is narrowing common perception to populism. As stated earlier, the degree of difficulty which is associated with certain heavy occupations will from now on be considered in the context of an exception.
Daniel Bacquelaine goes against the reasoning of the PS as would the departure of older workers from the labour market create more jobs for the young people. Work generates work and activity generates activity. Belgium is leader at European level on the unemployment rate among young people, although the average retirement age is less than 59 years. In contrast with this, the Scandinavian example should be emphasized here.
Some falsehoods, on behalf of the PS :
Jeanine, servant, loses €795 per year in the current pension system. « Jeanine is clerk at a private company. She could retire at 62 years, but she has decided to work up to 65 years. Within the context of her deteriorating health, she performs up to 165 working days annually, up to the age of 65. As a result of the abolition of the bonus, when she retires Jeanine will lose a bonus of €795.6, or €66.3 per month». |
WRONG ! Jeanine is 62 years and could retire if she wanted. She can also enjoy the pension bonus at the current conditions.
- The PS is guilty of misinformation when they declare that under this government the income of retirees who work more than the early retirement age would drop in a drastic way. Each year of service is included and increases the pension that one will obtain.
- The PS forgets to say that the system of the pension bonus had already been revised under the Di Rupo Government and that the amounts were reduced. The amnesia of the PS is baffling.
Catherine, secondary school teacher, will work two years longer and will lose 6,500 euros per year. « Catherine is a teacher in a secondary school. She has studied for 4 years. Before the measures of the MR / NVA were enacted her pension amounted €46216.52 gross per year - at the age of 60 - and after a professional career of 38 years. As a result of the actions of the government MR / NVA Cathérine will lose 14% of her pension, even though she will have to work two years longer (this is due to the abolition of the time bonus of her study years in the calculation of the duration of her career). Her pension will be reduced from €46 216 per year to €39 703 per year at the age of 62. If it turns out to be that teachers are not part of the category of 'heavy occupations », this group will even lose much more because of the abolition of their preferential bonus» |
ERROR ! There is no question at all in here about abolishing the diploma bonus for the calculation of the pension.
Catherine will be able to keep her preferential bonus until the moment on which the social partners have agreed on determining the list containing "heavy duty" professions. The Minister of Pensions however, does not assume - unlike the PS - that a job in education would not be heavy duty.
The pension amount of Catherine will not be affected by the actions of the Government. On the contrary, to the extent that she continues a little longer in the workforce, she will be able to finish her career and receive a higher pension.
Marco, construction worker, will have to work a year longer « Marc is construction worker and born in 1959. He started working in 1977 at the age of 18 years. In 2014 he will be 55 years. To date , he could take early retirement at 60 years, in particular in 5 years (2019), because he will have a career of 42 years at that age. Due to the measures of this government MR/NVA, Marco will have to work until the age of 61 in order to get a career of 43 years that will be needed in order to take early retirement. Even though he is constantly at work since his 18th, Marco will have to work one more year». |
TRUE ! Marco will have to work a year longer.
- The government is pursuing reforms at the level of conditions of access to early retirement, these initiatives were launched by the Di Rupo government in order to raise the employment rate of the entire professional population under 65 years. This was a priority for the PS.
- Starting from this observation, it is incomprehensible that the PS is disturbed by the fact that Marco can go only retire at 61 years instead of 60 years. The aim of these measures is just to make sure that our fellow citizens work a bit longer, and that everyone, including Marco, contributes to this collective effort.
Daniel Bacquelaine : «I'm surprised about the fact that a large party such as the PS uses a rhetoric which is rather usual amongst populist groupings. »
Contact :
Koen Peumans, spokesman of Daniel Bacquelaine, Minister of Pensions 0473 87 77 koen.peumans@bacquelaine.fed.be
