The Histadrut’s Pensioners Union pledged on Monday to work to raise Israel’s monthly old age pension, which currently stands at just 2,697 shekels (about $800) for a couple. During a meeting of the union on Monday, union chair Shmulik Mizrahi further pledged to “fight ageism and be at the forefront of the struggle for retirees.” At the gathering, held at the Histadrut headquarters, members of the elections committee were also selected, leading up to the election set to be held in March.
A new Pensioners Union magazine was also launched at the event, produced in collaboration with Davar, and covering a range of issues relevant to retirees and the union’s activities.
Discussing the union’s recent activities, Mizrahi spoke about the fight to implement an agreement to raise pension payments for military and civil service retirees. That increase was agreed to in 2016, but it was enacted only this year. “This agreement was stalled because of the Finance Ministry,” Mizrahi explained. “Unfortunately, many retirees passed away before they could benefit from it.”
Mizrahi pledged to fight for the regulation of long-term care insurance in the health funds, warning that as of now, long-term care insurance for millions of Clalit members is expected to end in a year and a half, and the government has not presented any plan on the matter. He also cited the union’s fight for free public transportation for retirees, which initially applied to those aged 75 and over, and more recently to those 67 and up. The union is now demanding the benefit also apply to women over 62.
“They were forced into retirement,” Mizrahi said. “They deserve to travel for free too.”
The chairman highlighted how the cost of living burdens retirees and said the union would fight to increase old-age pensions. The conference featured research by Shira Biblash from the Arlozorov Forum, showing that linking pensions to the average wage would improve the situation for many retirees and lift them out of poverty.
Another achievement Mizrahi mentioned was the cancellation of a threat to cut payments to 1.5 million retirees in the old pension funds, a move canceled as part of raising the retirement age under the Bennett-Lapid government. Under Mizrahi’s leadership, payment was also arranged for working retirees who were laid off or furloughed due to emergency situations, since they are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Another major milestone was the recruitment of 100,000 retirees into the Retirees’ Union, strengthening the organization’s power.
Mizrahi also outlined the union’s wartime activities, which included volunteering in agriculture, food distribution, knitting hats for soldiers, making phone calls, visiting lonely elderly people, and more.
He also announced that the Retirees’ Union will hold a solidarity event with the Druze community, as part of efforts to strengthen ties with the community and its retirees. The cooperation began as an initiative of the Women’s Status Division in the Pensioners Union, recently established in partnership with Na’amat.