Trade unionists from the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) have urged the Senate to reject the government’s proposed pension reform, calling for it to be returned to the House of Representatives for amendments.
The unions oppose raising the retirement age to 67, restricting early retirement for workers in high-risk jobs, and changes to pension calculations that would reduce benefits for new retirees.
ČMKOS chairman Josef Středula criticized the proposed reform at a press conference on Monday, labeling it a “deformity” rather than an improvement. “The government coalition calls this a pension reform, but it worsens the parameters instead of improving them. That is why we are calling on the Senate to return the proposal to the Chamber of Deputies,” Středula said.
The unions specifically demand a halt to the proposed gradual increase of the retirement age to 67; the restoration of early retirement for workers in hazardous jobs; and the maintenance of pension calculations to ensure benefits are not reduced for new retirees.
Under the current government plans, the retirement age will increase by one month per year until it reaches 67. The minimum pension will also be set a 20 percent of the average wage, while around 120,000 working in hazardous jobs with high levels of stress will no longer qualify for earlier retirement.
The Senate is set to debate the reform this week. If the proposal is approved without changes, ČMKOS plans to appeal to the president to withhold his signature.
The opposition ANO party has pledged to overturn parts of the reform if it regains power after the next election, a stance welcomed by Středula.
