Senior citizens worried

“Please, don’t attack our small pensions!”

Verena Dunst (SPÖ) in conversation with the Schwendenwein family.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Senior citizens from Burgenland are sending a clear message of concern to the politicians who will be calling the shots in Austria in the coming months. Many of the older generation are worried about their pensions and fear cuts.

Because they are plagued by the fear of financial losses, more and more pensioners are getting in touch, and not just at the Krone editorial office. "Consultation days are a very important part of my work as a politician. Appointments are in demand, and senior citizens in particular are currently seeking advice," says SPÖ member Verena Dunst, who knows the problem only too well.

Only money for the bare essentials
"Even now, we can only afford the bare essentials," says Erika Schwendenwein (83). "It's a good thing we grew up frugally, we've been used to it all our lives," notes her husband Gustav (88). They have been married for 65 years in May. He used to commute to Vienna during the week. Now the couple have to get by on their pension plus equalization allowance.

We can only afford the bare necessities.

Erika Schwendenwein

Fear of cuts
"Our daughter was born when I was 18 and our son three years later. There was no nursery place, so I had to stay at home. Later, I took over the care of my blind mother, then I looked after my mother-in-law - all without being registered," recalls the now 83-year-old. The couple's appeal to politicians: "Please don't cut our pensions, otherwise nothing will work!"

Many senior citizens share the Schwendenwein family's concerns. Just like Elfriede Gröller. Her husband died 23 years ago. She has to get by on a small widow's pension. She is not entitled to anything herself because she was only able to work for eight years.

Dunst criticizes
"There are enough fates like this. On average, women receive 40 percent less pension than men, which is mainly due to the more frequent part-time employment during child-raising and care periods," explains Dunst. Among other things, she is pushing for a higher valuation of these periods in the pension calculation. Her message is equally clear: "No budget cuts on the backs of the older generation!"