Early retirement row

Over 30 union representatives, including some from the Solidarity organization, spent a night occupying the premises of Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, demanding to meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

PM Tusk agreed to meet the representatives at the Labor Ministry's "Dialog" SocialPartnershipCenter, but they refused, insisting that negotiations take place in the ministry itself. No meeting had taken place as WBJ went to press.

The government's plan, proposed in mid-October, includes a list of 61 jobs entitled to early retirement, either because of difficult working conditions or because of the special nature of the work. Retirement would be available to those who had worked in the listed profession for at least 15 years before January 1, 1999.

Under the current law, around 300 professions have the right to retire early.

If passed, the new legislation would come into force from January 2009. The number of people entitled to retire early next year would be quartered.

Voting on the pension plan was scheduled for this week. If it is passed, however, the president has said he will veto the legislation.

Meanwhile, labor unions have announced plans to hold a series of protests on November 5.