In an event organized by the Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) on Wednesday at St. Mark’s Square in Zagreb, in front of the Government and Parliament, a gathering was held to warn against the unacceptability of extending the working age to 67 years, shortening the transitional period, and additional penalties for early retirement.
The gathering titled ‘Working to Exhaustion Will Not Recover the Pension System or Croatia 2030 and Some: Youth Abroad, While the Rest Work to Exhaustion’ is organized to send a public warning regarding the announced changes in the pension systemwhich view workers and retirees only as a cost they want to save on, and as a result, the damage will not only affect workers but the entire society, stated NHS President Sever.
He emphasized that the Government will commit to these changes in the National Reform Program, which is to be adopted at the meeting on April 26 and submitted to the European Commission by the end of April this year, and, Sever assessed, it is clear in which direction all this is going.
Extending the working age according to the recommendations of the World Bank, European Commission, and International Monetary Fund is not applicable to Croatian conditions, and our governments have committed to this without asking the citizens and workers to whom it concerns, as they consider themselves rulers, not in the service of the people. They sit in comfortable armchairs and ride in expensive air-conditioned cars, while workers earn their salaries, said the NHS president at the gathering.
He cited the example that emergency medical service employees once had a privileged working period, but now they no longer have it, questioning how it will look when someone at 67 goes to the 5th floor without an elevator to provide medical assistance, carrying all the equipment, while they can barely walk themselves. How will someone at that age climb scaffolding, Sever asked, standing behind mobility aids intended for the elderly.
He reminded that this started during Milanović’s government, was continued by Orešković’s, and continued by Plenković’s.
NHS President Sever emphasized that working until 67 years in Croatia is unsustainable considering the average life expectancy of Croatian citizens, which is shorter than in the EU.
Claims that technological modernization will greatly facilitate work in such jobs do not hold, as Croatia is a technologically backward country, employers save on occupational safety and the introduction of modern technologies, he added.
Sever assessed that additional penalties for early retirement are also unacceptable, as after completing a full working period, a worker could only enjoy 10 years of retirement.
Young people have long recognized this, they do not see a future in Croatia and are leaving for abroad, which is the result of the wrong policies of previous and the current government, and the problem will not be solved by importing labor, he asserted.
Therefore, we demand an increase in wages, penalties for employers who push workers into early retirement, stated the NHS president. He warned that there are many forms of insecure work in Croatia, and further flexibilization of work to the detriment of workers is announced for the fall.
At the gathering – emergency medical nurses, pyrotechnicians, firefighters…
Workers who work in jobs with privileged periods and in some other jobs were also present at the gathering, carrying the name of their job title.
Senior nurse in the Emergency Medical Service (HMP) of Zagreb County Jadranka Škunca (54) said that as the years go by, work becomes increasingly difficult, with the non-recognition of official status since they are often attacked and physically assaulted while performing their duties. Any delay in retirement is unsustainable and in a few years, a critical mass of people over 50 will be created, which will be a problem with frequent and long sick leaves and disabilities, she added.
Pyrotechnician from the Croatian Mine Action Centre (HCR) Domagoj Plemenčić said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for pyrotechnicians to perform their job over the years and that they have frequent medical examinations after which, if they do not meet the standards, they can no longer perform that job and face early retirement, which is intended to be further penalized.
Firefighter Miroslav Vrbinić also has frequent medical examinations, where one cannot pass with high blood pressure or diabetes, common illnesses caused by stress. Until you resolve your health issue, you cannot come to work, and consequently, dismissal follows, said Vrbinić. He added that the state is good to them while they are healthy, but afterwards no one cares about them, and that is the problem.
