Retirement Rights ?
The Independent reports “French unions laid down a powerful challenge to President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age yesterday by bringing an estimated 2 Million protesters onto the streets.
The reform would progressively raise the retirement age, fixed at 60 since 1981, to 62 by 2018. Civil servants, who until now have benefited from lower pension contribution rates, would be forced to pay the same as private sector employees.
The largest anti-government demonstration took place in Paris, where unions claimed that 130,000 protestors turned out. The banner leading the procession was relatively moderate, reading: “Together, let’s act for employment, salaries, working conditions and pensions”. Others were snappier: “Lets tax shares not pensions”; “Granny in trouble”; or “Sarko, retire!” Members of the CFDT union federation, clad in orange T-shirts and baseball caps, blew whistles and vuvuzela trumps.alid, 54, was collecting signatures for the French Communist Party’s petition. He said that his party wanted higher taxes on anything that does not create jobs, like financial transactions. “It’s a question of civilisation”
On the tv news last night French protesters were claiming the right to retire at 60 is a Human Right !
The UK Government is talking about raising the UK retirement age to 70 over the next 25 years !
What do you think - is retirement at a certain age a Human Right ?
And what should the Retirement Age be in the UK and Europe ?
And should those who wish to, be entitled to work beyond state pension retirement age for as long they want ?