SP-Wasserfallen confronts Berset

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It was the great promise to women in the AHV reform: in exchange for raising the retirement age to 65, there should be a pension supplement for a transitional generation – for life.

But now comes the rough awakening. If the Bundesrat proposal passes, the pension premium should be excluded from the cost-of-living adjustment. With inflation high, like 2.8 percent last year, the pension surcharge keeps losing value.

“The purchasing power of the pension supplement is disappearing from year to year,” says SP National Councilor Flavia Wasserfallen (44, BE). “What was sold as generous dampening in the voting campaign is now collapsing.”

forward in parliament

In the consultations, leftists and trade unions have already expressed opposition. Now Wasserfallen takes a step in parliament and confronts SP minister of Social Affairs Alain Berset (51).

She wants to know through an interpellation from the Bundesrat whether he is not still prepared to adjust the pension supplement for women born between 1961 and 1969 “just like all other AHV cash benefits to wage and price developments?”

Wasserfallen emphasizes that there is no explanation or reference to this restrictive design of the surcharge in the report on the AHV reform, in the explanations of vote of the Federal Council, or in the background information of the Federal Social Insurance Agency.

outside the pension system

Actually, the only thing that came up in the debate was that the pension supplement should take place outside the pension system. This only related to the fact that the allowance may not be set off against either the allowances or the couple’s ceiling.

This was intended to avoid corresponding reductions in the pension supplement and thus disadvantages for the women concerned. “With the waiving of the cost-of-living adjustment, a new disadvantage is created,” says Wasserfallen angrily.

Commissioned on the table

Wasserfallen is not happy that the proposal comes from party member Berset’s department. She suspects that the austerity rate prescribed by Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (59) could also be responsible for waiving compensation. “At the moment everything with costs is difficult in the Bundesrat.”

Wasserfallen now hopes that the government will correct the bill. According to reports, Berset actually wants to go beyond the books. It is unclear whether he will get away with his Gspänli.

In any case, Wasserfallen puts pressure on her: she also wants to raise the subject at the next meeting of the National Council for Social and Health Commission. Her goal: “We must effect a correction in favor of women.”

Source:Blick