Epress.am News from Armenia
The pressure group against pension reform Dem Em's next protest march will begin at 7 pm on June 11 just outside the Matenadaran (Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts), this time against employers putting pressure on their employees not to opt out of the funded pension system. This news was conveyed by Dem Em members at a discussion at the Media Center today.
Despite amendments to the RA Law on Funded Pension that allow workers to opt out of the pension system upon a written request to their employers, many employers are not accepting their employees' requests. According to media reports, many workers are threatened with dismissal.
"We understand that people need to earn their daily bread. But dare to talk about the problem, [even] with your face covered and your voice disguised. Raise [the issue] because people who are not pressured, who are a bit more independent will support you. So that next time feudal employers will not perceive employees as vassals," said Dem Em member David Manukyan.
Another discussion participant, Srbuhi Ghazaryan, said they received many letters, for example from employees of Yerevan State Linguistic University named after V. Brusov, Yerevan State Medical University named after Mkhitar Heratsi, Grand Tobacco company, and Tchaikovsky School of Music, that the accounting department is not accepting requests to opt out of the mandatory component of the funded pension system.
"They say, the rector said if [an employee] submits a request [to opt out of the pension system], tell him to also submit a letter of resignation," said Ghazaryan.
She mentioned at least 10 schools where written requests to opt out are also not accepted.
Manukyan, in turn, said Dem Em has prepared a new legislative package, which is completely different from the current interim law.
"The funded [pension] must be voluntary," he concluded.