GREECE: Rich Three-Year Action, Power for New Struggles and Claims at 24th Pensioners Congress

From 902.gr

With the participation of 352 representatives representing 99 member associations and thousands of pensioners throughout the country, the three-day work of the 24th Congress of the IKA Pensioners Federation began today in Athens.

The Congress concludes the three-year cycle full of rich action of the pension movement, for the assertion of the just demands of pensioners based on their real needs.

The hundreds of representatives were even welcomed in a very warm atmosphere by the choir of PAME with an artistic program dedicated to their rich action.

George Perros addressed the work on behalf of the PAME Secretariat.

In the presentation presented on behalf of the outgoing administration of the Federation by its president, Municipality of Koumbouris, presented all-round the conditions in which the 2.5 million pensioners in our country survive. Conditions shaped by the anti-insurance laws of all governments since 2010 still, the consequences of the pandemic, but also the wave of precision that in the last three years consumes the most decaden pensions.

Making a brief review of the content of this attack, the suggestion noted: “Here is the deadly legislative provision that abolished the minimum pension and divided it into national and rewarding, the endless cuts in pensionable earnings, the cuts of our Gifts, EKAS, widow’s pensions, the increase in health reservations by 6% – even in the dead – the increase in our participation. The non-payment of the retrospectives of the 11-month 2015 – 2016, of the auxiliary and Gifts. The “personal dispute” of the Katrougalos law maintained by the current government, despite its declarations for its abolition. The grabbing of tens of billions from the insurance funds for the recapitalization of the banks. The debts of the large business groups to the insurance funds. Cuts in our pensions through precision, which breaks our income.”

In addition, it was stressed: “Any penniless “increasations” given by the government at the end of its previous term after thirteen years, is well below the rise in inflation and were not attributed to those pensioners who had a “personal difference”. No increase in supplementary pensions has ever been granted. For those of the pensioners who, the sum of their pensions passed some accounting limits, a solidarity contribution AKAGE AKAGEI has a solidarity contribution. The same is for the pensions that went through the tax limits.”

Faced with this situation that is getting worse every day, pensioners are preparing to give a militant response with the nationwide rally on November 22, rejecting the government propaganda which, as it was said, attempts “to fill our wallets with a slurry air, with lies and half-truths”. They made it clear that the Federation and the pension movement that is rallying in the framework of the Struggle Coordinague Committee, will continue to claim all that has been forcing them has been taken away and paid for them throughout their lives.