"Government is stealing our entitlements". Protest against cancelling of bridging pensions

The manifestation started at 11 a.m. It was organised by the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions and the Trade Unions Forum. The participants of the protest gathered in front of the Palace of Culture and Science, from where they marched towards the seat of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy. Their intent was to file a petition at the hands of the ministry chief Marlena Maląg.

TVN24 reporter Paweł Łukasik, who was at the protest, said that the quite large group included people representing various industries.

He added the protesters were united over one central issue: bridging pensions.

"Their main demand is that the pensions encompass all those who work in difficult conditions, rather than only those who started such work before 1999, as the protesters see it as the main point of disputes. They want to know why those who started working earlier are treated in a different way," TVN24 reporter said.

Paweł Łukasik spoke with the protesters.

"I'm in a group that doesn't qualify for bridging pensions, and older collegues do. We're fighting to keep the bridging pensions, so that we're also entitled to it and so that we don't have work until the retirement age," a protesting engine driver told TVN24.

"The government is stealing our entitlements. We are miners, we deserve bridging pensions. I can't imagine grinding underground, in tough conditions, until I'm 65. That's just impossible," said a protesting miner and immediately added: "Actually, it is possible, only in Poland. We're here to shout it out".

The protest ended at 1 p.m.

The Old-Age Bridging Pensions Fund (Fundusz Emerytur Pomostowych, FEP) is a special purpose state fund. It was established on 1 January 2010 by virtue of the Act on old-age bridging pensions to finance this type of benefits. FEP is administered by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).

Contributions to the Old-Age Bridging Pensions Fund are paid for an employee who meets all of the following conditions:

- was born after 31 December 1948,

- has completed a period of employment in special conditions or of a special character of at least 15 years,

- has reached at least the age of 55 years (woman) and 60 years (man),

- has completed the insurance period (contributory and non-contributory) of at least 20 years (woman) and 25 years (man),

- being a woman – performed work in special conditions or of a special character before 1 January 1999,

- after 31 December 2008 performed work in special conditions or of a special character,

- has terminated his/her employment relationship.