- Title: AUSTRIA: 100,000 PEOPLE PROTEST ABOUT GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR PENSOON REFORM
- Date: 13th May 2003
- Summary: (W7) VIENNA, AUSTRIA (VIENNA, MAY 13) (ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS, BLOCKED TRAFFIC IN CENTRE OF VIENNA (2 SHOTS) 0.06 2. SMV POLICE CAR IN FRONT, TRAFFIC JAM IN THE BACK 0.10 3. WIDE OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING 0.15 4. SLV DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING IN THE RAIN WITH UMBRELLAS 0.19 4. VARIOUS, DEMONSTRATORS DANCING ON TRUCK WITH PICTURES OF CHANCELLOR WOLFGANG SCHUESSEL ON THEIR FACES (2 SHOTS) 0.27 4. SLV MAN MARCHING WITH BANNER - PENSIONS INSTEAD OF GUNS 0.32 5. WIDE/ PAN OF DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED AT HELDEN SQUARE 0.40 6. WIDE OF DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS 0.44 7. CLOSE OF BANNER READING: STRENGTH FOR OUR FREEDOM AND SOCIAL LIFE 0.47 8. CLOSE OF BANNER READING SCHUESSEL S PENSION IS HOPEFULLY SAFE 0.51 9. WIDE OF PROTEST 0.54 10. SMV DEMONSTRATORS TAKING PHOTOS OF PROTEST 0.57 11. SCU SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) LEADER OF THE THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF UNIONS, FRITZ VERZETNICH ADDRESSING THE DEMONSTRATORS FROM STAGE, SAYING: "This is the street that you regard with contempt, Mr. Schuessel! (refers to Schuessel's recent comments that the reform should not be discussed on the streets)." 1.04 12. WIDE OF DEMONSTRATORS APPLAUDING 1.06 13. SMV DEMONSTRATORS BLOWING WHISTLES 1.11 14. SCU (SOUNDBITE) FRITZ VERZETNITSCH CONTINUES, SAYING: "These faces have their opinion and they have a voice and this voice says loud and clear - not like this, Mr. Chancellor!" 1.26 15. SMV PROTESTOR BLOWING WHISTLE 1.30 16. WIDE OF PROTEST WITH UMBRELLAS IN THE RAIN 1.34 17. CLOSE OF MAN HOLDING BANNER READING: LONGER WORKING, LESS PENSION - NO THANK YOU! 1.37 18. SMV DEMONSTRATOR BANGING DRUM 1.41 19. CLOSE OF PROTESTOR WITH POSTER ABOUT PENSIONS 1.44 20. VARIOUS, DEMONSTRATORS WALKING IN STREET (2 SHOTS) 1.53 21. SCU MAN BLOWING WHISTLE 1.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Reuters ID: LVAEW8D3WOB2EJYYIPBFIAIJDKD9
- Story Text: More then 100,000 people have protested in Vienna
against government plans for drastic pension reforms.
Despite heavy rain and hailstorms, demonstrators from
all over the country marched through the streets and then
gathered at Vienna's Helden Square on Tuesday (May 13).
They carried placards and banners criticising the
government on the planned pension reforms they say will hit
the lower income classes and make people work longer for less.
The protest was called by the powerful National Federation
of Austrian Unions (OeGB) and followed a warning strike held
last week.
Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel in April introduced
draft legislation that would extend the number of years a
worker
is required to pay into the pension system from 40 to 45
years.
The bill would also raise the retirement age from the
current 59 years for men and 57 years for women to 65 years of
age.
The government reforms were partly prompted by a report
from the European Commission in December which warned that
unless Austria urgently implemented reforms it could run out
of money to pay pensions in the coming decades.
Like in several other European countries, Austria's
current pay-as-you go pension system is threatened by the
combination of
an ageing population that requires more pension cash and a low
birth rate, meaning fewer workers to pay contributions.
A survey recently published by the leftist daily newspaper
Der Standard said Schuessel's popularity has plummeted from 53
percent in February to 34 percent this month over the pension
law.
Unions have announced more actions as the reforms are
discussed in parliament over the next few weeks.
The protest coincided with major strikes in France earlier
on Tuesday which were also triggered by pension reforms.
The planned reforms in Austria are even more drastic then
those proposed by the French government.
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