If the employers' associations have their way, Germans should work longer in the future in order to receive their full pension. The unions are against it.
- Employers' associations are calling for a higher retirement age.
- This is the only way to keep social security contributions stable.
- The German trade union federation is against the plans.
Berlin - In order to relieve the companies and to keep social security contributions stable, the employers' associations are now calling for the retirement age to be increased. Because people are getting older, they have to work longer, according to the basic statement of the Federal Association of German Employers' Associations ( BDA ). The German Trade Union Confederation ( DGB ) considers this proposal to be "completely unacceptable".
Pension dispute: employees have to work longer for stable social security contributions
Currently, the share of social security contributions is around 40 percent of gross wages. Half of these are taken over by the employee and the employer. But a BDA commission comes to the conclusion that by 2040 the amount will increase to 50 percent . One of the reasons for this is the aging population. The increasing burden would make German companies less competitive internationally, and it would also have a negative effect on employment and endanger cohesion. Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) had proposed a long time ago that the social security contribution rate should be capped by law at 40 percent .
Employers demand retirement at 70
and then give the walker for free pic.twitter.com/92NfFggasK
To counteract the increase in contributions to 50 percent , the retirement age would have to be raised from 2031 . This is the only way to keep the contribution burden stable, says the BDA report . The Commission's proposal is now to link the standard retirement age to increasing life expectancy . If life expectancy increases by a year, people should work nine months longer. Those who retire early should have to accept higher discounts than before - those who voluntarily work longer receive higher bonuses .
Pension dispute: The DGB speaks out against an increase in the retirement age
The DGB board member Anja Piel responded to the plans of the BDA in the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung follows: "A higher retirement age is totally unacceptable. That would be a de facto pension cut for people who have a heavy load of work. Because those who work harder die earlier. "It is much more sustainable to" continue to ensure a high level of labor force participation among the population, especially women and migrants. " (Tel)
So that you can maintain your standard of living in old age, you have to take precautions. You should have put as much money aside at the respective age in order to make ends meet later. But sometimes after 40 years of work there isn't enough left to make a living from.
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Karl-Josef Hildenbrand