Greece: Pension Austerity Measures violate Fundamental Social Rights
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), the main supervisory body monitoring the implementation of the (revised) European Social Charter of the Council of Europe, is examining five complaints against Greece concerning massive pension reductions imposed both in the private and public sector. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), being recognised as an international workers’ organisation, is afforded the opportunity to intervene in the ‘Collective complaints procedure’ and has done so in support of these complaints.
In its observations, sent to the ECSR on 12 August, the ETUC has expressed the opinion that the austerity measures targeting pensions adopted by Greece within the framework of the ‘Troika’ (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) violate important provisions guaranteed by the European Social Charter, in particular Articles 12§3 on the “Right to social security” and 31§1 on “Restrictions”. As far as the ETUC is concerned, the Greek situation directly contravenes Article 12§3 ESC because it not only refrains from improving but, conversely, reduces - to an as yet unknown extent - old age pension benefits. The ETUC will continue to closely monitor the violation of fundamental social rights, in particular when they are a consequence of anti-crisis measures.
For more information on the European Social Charter and the collective complaints: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/socialcharter/Complaints/Complaints_en.asp
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