Hans-Jürgen Urban, executive board member of IG Metall: “In the debate, there is too much ignorance or even ignorance with regard to today’s working world. Many are already broken before retirement. There will only be people over 60 in offices and workshops if the working conditions are right. Anyone who wants to bring improvements here has our full support. Calls for a higher standard age limit don’t help anyone.
Demands for a higher statutory retirement age are simply unworldly! Working up to 65 or even longer is utopian, and not only in steel mills. People will no longer be able or willing to work just because age limits are rising. Anyone who demands higher age limits wants higher pension deductions through the back door. For the majority, going up the age limit means going down in pension.
Employers in particular have control over how long people can and want to work. You must finally offer attractive and healthy jobs for people over 60. That’s the only way things will work out with the skilled workers.
Employees need better working conditions. If you want to work longer, you have to be able to do it. The pension must ensure the standard of living. We need a pension insurance that everyone pays into, including politicians, civil servants and the self-employed.”