Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and PhotosIsrael President Moshe Katsav is reportedly in favor of raising the mandatory retirement in Israel even further. Speaking at a special gathering of “The Century Club” a unique ‘club’ made up of people aged 100+, the President stated that in his opinion, older people can continue working even until age 70 or older, as they still have much to contribute to both the economy, as well as to society as a whole. He also noted that nearly 10% of Israel’s total population are over 60, with more than 22% of all senior citizens over the age of 80.
While the President’s kind intentions may be good news to many people nearing the present retirement age of 67 for men and 65 for women, he failed to mention a very import fact that has been plaguing most Western societies, especially Israel’s. And that ‘fact’ is that as people get older, i.e. become 40+, 50+, and especially 60+, their employment opportunities begin to dwindle; reaching the point where finding any suitable work becomes a nightmare. In Israel, perhaps more so than other countries, jobs that used to be filled by older people were taken over by immigrants from countries such as the former Soviet Union; or by young people, either before or after military service, who cannot find suitable work elsewhere.
Many employers now prefer to hire young people for a variety of reasons: they have fewer responsibilities, are physically stronger and more mentally alert, and can be ‘controlled’ easier – i.e. they can be ‘molded’ into more ideal workers as they have fewer traits that have to be altered or changed. Go to any large customer service or telemarketing company and chances are, nearly all the employees will be under age 30. This is especially true if the job involves ’shift work’ including night shifts and weekends. While it was once against the law to work on weekends, i.e., on Shabbat, many of these outsourced entities are now open 24 hours a day, seven days week.
Where does all this leave aging workers who may have lost their jobs to younger workers? The scrap heap, that’s what! The opportunities offered by the country’s thriving high tech industries have few places for workers over age 40, not to mention those 50 or above. It doesn’t matter how much computer related knowledge they may have, older people simply do not have a chance against their younger contemporaries, when applying for a job – even for those in the service industries.
We might all consider why people must retire in the first place. The answer is very simple: making way. Yes, the older workers have to ‘make way’ for the younger ones, just like we all have to ‘make way’ eventually for younger inhabitants of the planet. After all, there are only so much available resources, including the very air we breathe.
Retiring at age 70 will mean that it will be even harder for 60+ workers to continue working in our increasingly competitive labor market. And those who were expecting to receive something back for all the ‘contributions’ they have been making to their pension funds, as well to the National Insurance Institute, will now have to wait longer to finally receive them.. While President Katsav may have the best intentions in mind, he has to realize that not everyone is in his own position, and can look forward to an easy retirement.
One Comment
I believe the delay of retirement age,in order
to save money to the national insurance of Israel
is going to divert so many retired nice people
that looked forward to a respectful retirement
to social welfare programs of the same govt.ministry, as there is no chance for them to
be employed at their age,it will only insult and humiliate all these people who do not deserve it.
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