Iraqis demand US pension rise to match salary hikes

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040216/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_pensions_demo&cid=1514&ncid=1473

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Some 500 retired Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad to demand that the US-led provisional authority raise their pensions on the same scale that salaries have been increased since Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s ouster.


Pensions have risen significantly since the lows seen in the last decade of the deposed Iraqi leader's regime under UN sanctions, but Iraqi retirees want to see their income fixed at 80 percent of their active colleagues' salaries.


"I am getting 40,000 dinars a month (27 dollars) while my colleagues who are still in service are now receiving up to 500,000 dinars (330 dollars)," said retired central bank employee Lahim Lashed.


"We should be getting no less than this 80 percent of the sum that is earned by active workers in the same sector," said the 53-year-old, as he marched towards the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

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[alcuno]

1. They have pensions in Iraq?

Nice.

[74dodgedart]

2. They have health insurance too

[Hubert Flottz]

3. I wish someone would liberate America!

When will it be our turn to taste a little liberty?

[newyawker99]

5. Hi 74dodgedart!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[metisnation]

7. Hey 74 Dodge Dart!!!!!

sweet ride love those mopar 340 360 or a 440? My green friends will hate me but there is nothing like big block mopar power. Anyways welcome to DU most folks are just honest people trying to give a lift up to the working people of this country. I hope you find what your looking for...I did.

:toast:

[Aidoneus]

4. the fruits of past revolutions and struggles

Iraq used to have the strongest labour & communist movements in the region. Even though Saddam was the "West's" agent in wrecking that, and there was a lot of wrecking involved (with thousands of leftist & labour movement martyrs), the fruits of these movements are still in place and there would be serious struggles from almost all of the Iraqi people if they were threatened.

The elites who cravenly support the invasion and occupation are attempting to roll these past accomplishments back and turn Iraq into America's "free-market" colony and a playground for weapons testing on live subjects, but they are meeting strong resistance to this from the Iraqi people. Aside from the armed attacks against occupation forces and collaborators all over the country, some of the most active organizations right now are the communist and labour movements that work in the economic sphrere.

[SoCalDem]

6. Damn those irate Eye-rackees

Don't they realize that those things are a part of "personal responsibility"?? They should have been saving up those dirt clods all those years...for their own retirement..

anyway they will die long before retirement, so what are they bitchin' about ??