Before making any analysis, we must base ourselves on the official figures put forward by those in charge. Regarding the revaluation of retirement pensions, the Minister referred to the first category of beneficiaries, namely members of the National Pension Fund (CNR) for a period of less than 15 years and who currently receive a pension of 4,000 to 10,000 DA, specifying that the increase in the pension will reach 11,000 DA and concerns 900,000 retirees. For the retirement pension at 15,000 DA, it will increase to 20,000 DA and concerns 250,000 retirees, said the Minister of Labor. At first reading, we note that there are still retired Algerian citizens in Algeria who receive 4,000 DA while the SMIC is 20,000 DA and the unemployment benefit is 13,000 DA.
OSRA noted that:- 900,000 pensioners out of 3,266,000 receive less than 10,000 DA.- 250,000 pensioners out of 3,266,000 receive between 10,000 and 15,000 DA.Au total, we find that 1 million 150,000 pensioners receive less than 15,000 DA while the unemployment benefit was 13,000 DA.
OSRA had previously stated that it was inconceivable that pensions would be lower than unemployment benefit. OSRA continues to work to ensure that the minimum pension is equivalent to the SNMG, which should be increased.
OSRA, based on these figures, fears that these increases only concern an alignment of the retirement pension with the unemployment benefit, which is 15,000 DA. This alignment with unemployment benefit will target 900,000 pensioners and only 250,000 pensioners will be entitled to the SNMG. This announcement ignored all pensions over 15,000 DA whose fate remains unknown, because the minister announced the increases to 15,000 DA without advancing for example on the fate of pensions between 15,000 DA and 20,000 DA. If he considers that even those whose pension is between 15,000 and 20,000 DA will have a pension of 20,000 DA, this would be very serious because the one who receives 19,990 could have an increase of 10 DA. This shows the vagueness in the application of increases that aim to eliminate the middle layer of retirees. For
OSRA, these increases, which have made a lot of noise, concern only 1,150,000 pensioners out of 3,266,000. OSRA is concerned about the fate of the other pensioners (2,016,000). These figures show that about 1 million pensioners receive more than 30,000 DA and that it is time to abolish WRI for this group of citizens. For
OSRA, if it took note of the increases announced by the President of the Republic, was once again disappointed with the method of their applications that will deprive more than 2,016,000 retirees of increases similar to that of employees. Our analysis cannot stop there, denounces the method of application of these increases for years to such an extent that we find ourselves with 900,000 retirees paid in 2023 at less than 10,000 DA and some at 4,000 DA. It reminds me of the joke of the seller of “chawarma”: a customer who hands over a panini and 50 DA to fill it with meat, the seller takes the sum and the bread slides it on the meat and says “bessahtek “. It is the situation of the pensioner who receives less than 30,000 DA and they are more than 2,000,000 who will be satisfied with the smell of meat and the sight of butchers’ stalls. The question that OSRA asks itself is what can an MP or a manager who receives more than 400,000 DA take into consideration a pensioner who receives 4,000 DA or 30,000 DA. The decisions on increases are left to those people who have no idea of the harsh reality of pensioners. For OSRA, the pensioner has long been marginalised, rejected and ostracised from society; he does not even have the right to a union that defends him.
OSRA, as with the annual revaluations that should be announced, these increases will not bring anything new to the purchasing power of the pensioner as long as the managers themselves despise the pensioner. Today, only a general increase at the same rate for all pensioners and the abolition of WRI. For OSRA, it is more justiciable that a retirement pension is at least higher than unemployment benefit. Increases must pull all revenues upwards and not pile up as is currently being done. There is a difference between a pensioner who receives 9,000 DA and the one who receives 4,000 DA so why increase the first by 6,000 DA and the second by 11,000 DA, there is an injustice. This injustice is an example when applying increases, even when revaluation through rates.
OSRA remains mobilized, but pessimistic about the impact of these increases and expects crumbs as usual. These increases are announced at a brisk pace, but it is “an elephant giving birth to a mouse”. In addition, it is only pensioners who have a pension of less than 15,000 DA who are concerned and everyone has understood that this was decided not to have pensions lower than unemployment benefit.
Bashir Hakem