Kostelka/Pensioners’ Association: Poverty in old age begins with unequal pay

Dr. Peter Kostelka, the president of the independent pensioners’ association (PVÖ), calls for a faster development towards pay equity between the sexes in connection with today’s Equal Pay Day. The difference is still big: for the same work, women receive so much less salary compared to their male colleagues over the course of the year that they are essentially working for free from tomorrow until the end of the year.

“This is not only unfair at the moment, it also explains to a large extent the injustice of the blatant differences between women and men when it comes to pension levels,” says Kostelka, who points out in this context that the equalization of life and On the one hand, the work performance of women and men is already underway with the ongoing gradual increase in the statutory retirement age for women, but the equalization of lifetime wages is still lagging far behind.

“By 2033, all women will only be able to retire at the age of 65,” says Kostelka, “so it is high time for their wages to be quickly adjusted to these changed conditions.” In addition, the independent pensioners’ association is also calling for improved credit periods for unpaid wages Work such as raising children and caring for relatives. Kostelka: “It cannot be the case that, in addition to their paid work, which is already paid less, women also do valuable but unpaid work for society and, as a ‘thank you’ for this, receive even less pension in old age because there are fewer contributions to the pension account have been received. Poverty in old age begins with unequal pay.” (Conclusion)